


Act I: The Lake South, The River North

by namelesslunitic



Series: The Dear Hound [1]
Category: Act Series - The Dear Hunter (Albums), Family Guy (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Acts, Bestiality, Coming of Age, Drama, Gen, Inspired by Music, Mother-Son Relationship, Prostitution, Religion, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2020-06-23 12:56:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 56,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19701817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/namelesslunitic/pseuds/namelesslunitic
Summary: The first part in the story of a life cursed.Brian is born to a mother determined to keep her secrets from him, and all the while, an insidious manipulator is pulling the strings and setting the stage for the events that will determine the outcome of the dog's life in the years to come. The wheels are in motion, and there's no stopping the train."Someday she'll be gone."





	1. Battesimo del Fuoco

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Family Guy or its characters. Storyline is heavily inspired by The Acts series by the band The Dear Hunter.

**_BELIEVE YOU ME THE PRICE IS CLEAR_ **

“We must keep this wolf far from our flock!”

The cry of the crowd came from out in the distance, but the dog was still able to just barely make it out with his keen ears. It sent fear into him, but the pace of his heartbeat remained consistent. His heart had already been beating rapidly, anyway. It hadn’t returned to normal speed since...he’d...since he saw…

A fist clutching a knife came down and crashed against the table he was sitting at, and the canine who had been sitting there in his dining room, mostly catatonic, finally allowed fresh tears to begin falling as he choked out the first words he had uttered in what felt like hours.

“I’m...so...sorry…”

**_A CHILD BORN THE MOTHER NEAR_ **

The animal shot to his feet and began pacing throughout the room, his only recourse as the voices from outside drew nearer and nearer, driving his panic further and further.

The grip on his knife tightened.

This was it.

Of course, he had fully expected for tonight to be the night he finally put an end to the suffering. He had been ready to finally own up to his sins, his crimes, but...it wasn’t supposed to be like this.

He was supposed to save them…

That had been all he had to keep him going. If anything, he could at least put an end to everything _for their sakes_!

...How foolish he was for thinking that his luck would finally turn around over the course of a single night, though…

He shook his head, his eyes glancing across the room before finally landing on an object hanging on his wall.

A necklace of rosary beads.

**_TO DEATH AND LIFE AS HAND IN HAND_ **

His mind flashed back to the last moments he’d had with his beloved, and his feet stopped as the growing panic finally consumed him. His breathing grew labored, and he braced his paw against the wall as he clutched at his chest. His body began to shake.

“I’m sorry!”

The dam he had been fighting to keep up finally broke, and the dog cried freely for the first time that night, a river of tears and sobs wracking through him so violently that they threatened to send him to the floor.

“I never thought that he’d… I should have gotten you out sooner…”

He knew the person he so desperately wanted to address had no way of hearing his words. They’d never hear his words again…

...And he’d never hear theirs…

But getting the words out did seem to be helping.

...At least a little.

**_A FAILED LIFE EXPOSED THE MAN_ **

He could still hear that damn mob! They were coming for him!

“Ahhhhh! I don’t deserve this!”

The paw holding his knife went up to rub furiously at the back of his head. How had it gotten to this point? Why him? What event from the past doomed him to live out this curse!? He’d never asked for much. Men far worse than him lived out perfectly content lives, fulfilling lives! So, what was it about his circumstances that had set him on this horrible path to ruin!?

And this is where it was going to end!?

He figured it was at least fitting. His life had been nothing but a sad comedy of errors, so why wouldn’t it end like this? Why wouldn’t it end with the man he loathed more than anyone leading a town full of people that he’d actually had the intention of saving to his doorstep to dole out divine punishment?

It had all been foretold, after all.

He’d been warned...

**_WHO LED HER OFF INTO THE FLAME_ **

And yet...that wasn’t even the saddest part of it all.

Because, deep down, he could have lived with this ending so long as…

“Ugh!”

No. He couldn’t...keep...thinking about what had happened. It just...hurt too much.

He was still breathing heavily. He knew he had to get himself under control before the mob arrived, though.

Before HE arrived.

Easier said than done.

The dog’s eyes were still fixed firmly on that rosary, and it made him sick as he remembered everything it had been meant to represent and now everything it personally meant to him.

Corruption.

Loss.

His nostrils began to flare as he pushed himself away from the wall and began to walk towards the item he was fixated on.

**_TO CAST HER BACK TO HELL AGAIN_ **

“Everything I’ve done has all been for nothing!”

He reached out with his free paw and yanked the necklace off the wall, causing it to snap and sending the beads spilling to the floor. He tossed what was left to the ground, continuing to breathe in and out deeply.

“I had...one good thing! And...I couldn’t even...keep that safe! So what was the point of it all!?”

His legs finally gave out under the weight of all his sorrow.

He fell to his knees first and then allowed himself to keep falling until he was just lying there on the cold, wooden floor of the dining room.

He whimpered.

“The best thing that could have happened to anyone I ever cared about...is if they had just never met me…”

He closed his eyes and allowed the voices of the crowd outside to fade away momentarily.

**_BUT HEAR YOU ME THE BREAK OF DAWN_ **

_Does that mean my child will be safe so long as I’m gone?_

A morbid thought, indeed, but it made a horrid kind of sense to the canine. He prayed that would be the case, that this curse wouldn’t carry on through his offspring. It certainly saddened him to know that he would never see his son again, a gift given then taken from him far too quickly, but if this is what was necessary for the boy to grow up free and happy…

He could live with that.

He’d gotten the boy out of the city, and while the woman he had trusted to care for him wasn’t his actual mother, he knew she would do everything she could to ensure the safety of his child.

She was a good woman.

She deserved so much better than what he had given her over the years.

**_WILL WASH AWAY THE SINS THEREOF_ **

Everyone pretty much deserved better than what he had been able to offer. All the people in his life who believed him to be something he wasn’t, they certainly deserved better. Because they actually had real connections with this life he had stolen, and they, without ever realizing it, had been assisting him in living a lie.

A lie that was going to amount to nothing in the end…

Oh, the terrible things he had done all just so he could maintain this facade.

What a coward he had been.

And he’d never once stopped to consider just how far he could drag others down with him...until it was far, far too late.

_I’m sorry._

**_UNTO THE LAKE BEYOND THE TREE_ **

If his mother could see him now, what would she think? Would she pity him? Would she blame herself? Would she be angry with him? Disappointed?

The dog wished he knew.

It felt like he’d lost his mother so long ago, but the pain from that loss...it had never really gone away.

How could it ever?

He still yearned for those early days in his life when it was just him and her, a perfect loving pair making it together in their little farmhouse by the lake.

He should have stayed there.

He should have never ventured beyond that tree…

**_THE CHILD WAITS ALONE IS HE_ **

No taking that back, now, though.

This is where he was, now, and in just a few minutes, he was going to have to face the consequences for all of his mistakes. This was probably going to be the last chance he'd ever have to make everything right.

He’d lost his mother.

He’d lost his brother.

He’d lost his lover.

But his son was still out there, safe and tucked away in his childhood home by that lake, the only sanctuary left in the cruel, evil world.

And the dog was going to do everything he could to make sure it stayed that way.

He opened his eyes.

**_THE FLAME IS GONE THE FIRE REMAINS_ **

The dog stood up. He was still breathing in and out deeply as the voices came flooding back, and he listened to them as he walked over and set his knife down on the dining room table, taking in every single harsh word.

“He’s a monster!”

“A demon!”

“We trusted him!”

“How dare he manipulate our beloved priest!”

The canine smirked and shook his head sadly.

They’d always believe their _beloved priest_ over him. Those people were lost, and there was nothing he could ever say to change that.

He’d been a fool to even try, but that no longer mattered. They no longer mattered. The citizens of Quahog were free to deal with him however they wished, but before that happened, he had one person he was going to settle things with, once and for all.

**_THE FLAME IS GONE THE FIRE REMAINS_ **

The man that had been pulling the strings all this time. The man that had imprisoned him in this life and then used him in such insidious ways, all the while gloating and toying with him and the one person he cared about most of all.

The memories caused his breathing to become erratic once more, but he refused to let the fear control him again.

No. The time for fear had long passed.

The dog had played The Devil’s game and he had lost, but it was all ending tonight.

The animal had nothing left to lose, but he certainly had something worth protecting. This was the primary thing on his mind as he turned around and began walking towards his front door.

**_THE FLAME IS GONE THE FIRE REMAINS_ **

“Ok, everyone, I’ll go in first and see if I can convince this sinner to come out and own up to his crimes against us and our heavenly father!”

That familiar voice rose up through the cacophony with the greatest of ease, all confidence and charisma just as the dog had always known it to be. He listened as the crowd cheered and began shouting their approval, shouting about how great their Father was, how brave he was for being so willing to venture into the wolf’s den. It was enough to make the canine chuckle.

_Man, you really… You really are good._

**_THE FLAME IS GONE THE FIRE REMAINS_ **

The knock on his door came soon after.

The dog had already been waiting by the door, waiting for this moment. As he reached out to turn the knob, though, he paused. What would happen when he saw the man? After everything that had happened, everything this charlatan had done to him...would he be able to keep the rage at bay for long? Did it matter?

What was he really looking to get out of this encounter, anyway?

What closure was there to be gained?

He didn’t really have the answers to all these questions, but he knew he couldn’t stand there contemplating them for too long.

The canine pulled his paw back and brushed the wrinkles out his shirt before taking a second to fix his disheveled hair. He didn’t want that man to see just how much of a wreck he had been. At the very least, he could maintain some dignity in these final moments.

The dog finished fixing himself up before taking a few more inhales, fighting to finally get his breathing under control.

Deep breaths.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

Once he felt he was as composed as he was going to get, he finally opened the door.

**_THE FLAME IS GONE THE FIRE REMAINS_ **

And there he was.

The priest.

The pimp.

The tall, skinny man was standing before the animal wearing the biggest grin, a mob of angry citizens screaming their support behind him.

The dog didn’t pay them much mind, though. He allowed them one cursory glance before redirecting his attention at the man who had been the source of all his troubles since the day he was born.

The man smirked down at him.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in, Brian?”

Brian just stood there for a moment before stepping aside and motioning for the man to enter his domain.

“After you, Quagmire.”

Quagmire wasted no time before stepping inside and making his way further into the house. Brian watched him for a few seconds before closing the door and following after him.

“We can talk in the dining room.”

And with those words, the pair made their way into the room that would serve as the setting for their final confrontation.

_This ends tonight…_

**_THE FLAME IS GONE THE FIRE REMAINS_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics for Battesimo del Fuoco:
> 
> Believe you me, the price is clear  
> A child born, the mother near  
> To death, and life as hand in hand  
> A failed life exposed the man  
> Who led her off into the flame  
> To cast her back to hell again.
> 
> But, hear you me, the break of dawn  
> Will wash away the sins thereof.  
> Unto the lake, beyond the tree,  
> The child waits alone is he.
> 
> The flame is gone, the fire remains.  
> The flame is gone, the fire remains.  
> The flame is gone, the fire remains.  
> The flame is gone, the fire remains.  
> The flame is gone, the fire remains.  
> The flame is gone, the fire remains.


	2. The Lake South

It was the perfect place for such a good dog.

Life by the lake was peaceful growing up, and that could be said for anyone who had ever been given the blessing of living in that little sanctuary away from the troubles of the world.

A place where they could be safe.

They could be hidden.

They could be...home.

If we were to delve into the history of that place, there would be many stories to tell, many secrets to uncover, but for now, we will focus on one story in particular.

In order to do that, we must start near the end of another, such is the nature of stories in general.

Once upon a time, there was an old farmer named Luke, and he lived in an even older farmhouse. The farmhouse had been built by the lake many years ago, a staple of his family for generations upon generations, something to be passed down from father to offspring. Or at least that would still be the case if Luke had any offspring to bestow his land to. As it would happen, though, the man never sired any children, a fact that saddened both him and his wife, Betty. Still, for a time, the pair were happy enough simply having each other, a perfect loving couple.

Betty passed on before Luke. The causes were natural, but this did little to soothe Luke’s suffering soul. Few things, after all, can devastate a person like losing a loved one, even worse to lose the person that destiny has chosen for you. Not that everyone believes in such things, but anyone who has ever experienced the kind of love Luke had for Betty will know that feeling, the feeling that says you found them, you found the one person in this great big world that can make you feel whole. To have that is to have everything, so to lose it…

Luke’s grief threatened to consume him. For the longest time, all that seemed to help him was the thought of burying himself in the task of caring for his farm even though he now struggled to awaken with the rooster’s crow like he used to due both to his increasing age and his broken heart, and having no known living family to turn to, there was little to keep Luke motivated as the days wore on. Each day was harder than the last, so much so that, one day, the thought occurred to Luke whether it was even worth it to continue on, and this thought came to him the following day and then the day after that then the day after that.

Had he not heard the pup’s howl in the middle of that fateful night, who’s to say for sure what course of action the man would have taken. All that can be stated for sure are the events that actually did play out. Luke did hear the howl of a pup on a dark, rainy night in the summer, and he did awaken and set out to search for the source of the cry. And he did find a lonely, frightened female Labrador puppy who had gotten stuck in the mud of that ancient dirt road that served as one of the only paths to and from that humble farmhouse.

And he did take that puppy in.

And he did take care of her until his final days.

He gave her the name Biscuit, a nod to one of his favorite food items that his wife used to make so expertly, and Biscuit, while young and mostly still naive about the world, was immediately grateful. She loved the farmer like a father, and the farmer loved her like a daughter. And, for them, that was enough. Nothing could ever replace his Betty, but Luke did feel blessed to have found another living creature to form a bond with.

And it was a strong bond, indeed.

There are many instances that could be recounted to illustrate this fact. I could tell you of the many nights Luke sat up looking through Betty’s old pictures with tears in his eyes and how Biscuit would always stay right there by his side, awaiting the moment her caretaker would finally break once more, finally allowing those tears to turn to sobs as he set the pictures down and latched onto this one refuge left in the world. I could tell you of the other nights in which Biscuit would have traumatic nightmares about her few but harsh days spent out abandoned and alone in the world and how Luke would hear the dog whimpering in her sleep and immediately go to awaken her from those horrors, pulling her back into her new, serene reality. I could tell you about how those nights became less and less frequent over time.

And, if the story were different, I would gladly do just that.

But that’s not how this story goes.

Life by the lake was peaceful, indeed…

Five months.

Biscuit and Luke were able to enjoy an idyllic five months together before it all finally came to an abrupt end that winter. It started like so many mornings had. The young Labrador awoke at the foot of Luke’s bed after hearing the familiar alarm, standing up on all fours before stretching out her muscles. She then walked over and stood by the man, knowing he would soon awaken, as well, even if it did sometimes take a while for the farmer to get up the energy. She smiled at him, knowing that a new, wonderful day was about to begin, and she waited.

And she waited.

She waited.

And waited…

Waiting…

Still waiting.

The man wasn’t moving. The pup tilted her head curiously and uttered one of the few words she was able to speak at this early stage in her life.

“Luke?”

No response.

The alarm was still blaring.

Her smile finally fell as she leaned down to nudge the man with her snout.

“L-Luke?”

...Luke did not wake up that morning.

He never woke up again.

Death, as a concept, is something we will all have to face, eventually. But, for the young who are first presented with the idea of the finite nature of life, it can be a hard one to wrap one’s head around. Biscuit’s first encounter with death was no different. When Luke did not awaken that day. Or the day after that. Or the day after that. She was initially more vexed than saddened. She did not understand why her caretaker was now choosing to just lie in bed all day and ignore her basic needs, ignore her howls for the first time, the rumbling in her belly.

No she did not understand why everything had changed so suddenly, but what she did understand, in time, was that she could no longer wait for the man.

She was hungry.

And cold.

It hurt.

Why was Luke letting her hurt..?

The food in the farmhouse could only last for so long. It was only a matter of time before she had no choice but to finally venture out of the house without her caretaker. She knew there were resources out there for her, and hunting was not something she was unfamiliar with even if she had never needed to resort to it after being saved by Luke that night. Even if it were, the natural instincts of a canine were still embedded into her being. But, with the harsh winter growing worse and worse by the day, her options were slim.

Her paradise had become an unforgiving, snowy prison.

And she needed to escape it.

The choice to leave was a tough but necessary one. She did not want to abandon the still sleeping man, even if she had begun to feel like he had gone and abandoned her after she had put all her trust into him. She still cared about him.

Still loved him.

He was the only father she had ever known, at this point, and she didn’t want to believe that her days with him had come and gone so quickly.

But they had.

Maybe she’d be lucky enough to find someone to care for her like Luke had.

Maybe she’d find another place for her as nice as by that lake.

She’d be safe.

She’d be hidden.

She’d be...home.

That was her one hope when the time finally came for her to make her departure away from that farmhouse, away from the lake that was now frozen over. Even as she left that lake, though, she still put her trust in it, following the river that connected it northward in the hopes of finding a new life.

I can tell you that she did.

What I can not tell you is that she ever found paradise again, even if it is more pleasant to imagine what would have happened had she done so.

Because this is not a story of what ifs.

This is a story of what was and will be.

The law of cause and effect is simply insurmountable. Everything that happens to us can be linked back to a previous event and those events can be traced back to other events, and before long you have a great big interlocking series of chains that can be traced back to the beginning of time itself and these chains are what bind everything together.

They cannot be broken.

And, if that is the case, does it not follow that these chains are destined to control all our lives? How much control do we have over the things that happen to us? Are the choices we make truly even ours or are they written in stone? Were the people who influence us etched into our history from the moment we entered the world? Our mothers? Our fathers? Sisters? Brothers? Friends?

Lovers?

It would certainly seem to be the case, and while I would love to tell you about a chain of events where Biscuit did find another loving home with another attentive caretaker, I cannot. Though I’d enjoy telling you stories about her growing up in this new home and eventually being able to share it with her own children, I can not.

Because these are not the events that occurred.

These are not the links that make up the chain of Biscuit’s life, and this story is here to recount the chain of events that did occur.

This is a story of what was and will be.

This is the story of Biscuit’s life and the misery looming on the horizon as she leaves that lake and follows the river north, of the mysteries that will eventually enshroud her.

This is the story of the influence she will have on another.

This is the story of her and the dear hound she will soon bring into this cruel, evil world.

This is a story of what was and will be…

And these chains, unfortunately, cannot be broken.

So...let’s see how this story goes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Instrumental)


	3. City Escape

“FIRE!!!!!”

_ Panic! _

_ Escape! _

_ Run! _

The dog formerly known as Biscuit rushed out of her room under the cover of the smoke that was quickly filling it. With her little sleeping bundle in tow, she ran past the shouting crowd, all those people assembled in the hallway to stare at the threat to their beloved building that had so suddenly materialized.

Let it burn.

The fire she had set may have been intended as merely a distraction, but if there was justice to be had in the world, it would rage on long after she had made her escape and consume all the wood and brick and mortar. She wasn’t sticking around to find out, though. She knew she had to act quickly. The canine ran as fast as she could through the halls, dodging all the stunned patrons before making her way down the stairs to the first floor and into the room that had been arranged to be left open for her.

The window was open, too.

She jumped.

Her paws hit the pavement, and upon being outside for the first time in years, the dog couldn’t help but feel an immense sense of relief.

Five years.

It had been almost five years since she had felt the natural earth beneath her feet, such a stark contrast from the usual finely-finished wood of the room she had now spent most of her life in.

If only she had time to savor the feeling, revel in the freedom…

The bundle, her son, began wriggling in his makeshift cloth carrier, causing the dog to tighten the grip she had on him with her mouth as she was pulled out of her brief moment of calm and stirred back into action.

He was the reason she was doing this.

She had to get him out and away from this building and this city.

So, she began running again.

With the moon at her back, Biscuit began making her way through the once familiar streets as her mind raced back to the circumstances that had brought her to this point.

_ Brian. _

She had given birth to many children as a service to her master over the last several years, all for the sake of maintaining his cruel enterprise, all taken away from her not long after being born just so they could be brought up to be cruel and vicious fighters just for her owner’s clients to bid on. It broke her heart every time. This pup, though, the one she had so securely wrapped in the cloth marked with a tree, the one whose eyes hadn’t even opened yet, he was different. He’d been the runt of this latest litter, but beyond that, there was something about him that made it clear he would serve no use in a fight. He wasn’t built like his brothers and sisters, an obvious trait that came from his father, a rare mutation that made him special.

It also made him unfit to serve the purpose that all her other young were birthed for.

And she knew what happened to those that were unable to offer anything of value to the man she served…

That’s why they had to leave. That’s why after years of servitude, she had finally found the drive to try and get away.

She wasn’t going to let that man kill her son.

_ Brian… Noble… _

He was special.

And he was going to have a chance to be free and happy, to be better than all the men who had done nothing but use her over the years. He wouldn’t end up like them.

Not this pup.

Not her dear Brian.

No, he was different.

He would be different.

The grey-haired, female Labrador thought about all of this as she rushed through the streets of the city. It had been so long since she had last been able to venture out into Quahog. Paths she had once known all too well now seemed strange and foreign. It felt like racing through a labyrinth, the walls made up of buildings that were hardly distinguishable from one another. She had no real idea of where she was even trying to go, but any direction that took her further and further away from her captor was, in her mind, a good one.

It was so late that the streets were mostly empty aside from a few passersby on the sidewalk and the occasional taxi on the road.

She eyed them all suspiciously.

As nice as it would be to be able to stop and maybe ask some of these people for help, the dog knew that there was no way to tell who would actually help her and who was just another servant to her former master.

Not in this city, this place of total depravity and corruption.

It was a lesson she’d had to learn the hard way but one she now fully intended to live by.

There were only two beings in this world she could trust: herself and God.

But, maybe in time, there could be another.

That was certainly her hope.

So, she ran past every person she happened upon, the only noise being made as she passed them coming from the huffing of her nostrils, the pounding of her paws on pavement, and the jangling of the rosary around her neck. There really was no real plan here.

Just run and keep running.

It was hard, though. She hadn’t been outdoors in so long, and it was clear that she no longer possessed the stamina and energy that she used to.

Her legs hurt.

Her lungs hurt.

But she kept on running, her mind flashing back to the life she was running away from, motivation to keep pushing past the pain.

Back to where the trouble began.

_ “This will be your room.” _

_ The young Labrador followed the man through the door to discover a beautiful, fully-furnished bedroom with wooden floors and gorgeous silk lining the walls. It was more than she could have ever dreamed of. How had she gotten so lucky? She was truly blessed. _

_ Tears formed in her eyes as she looked up at the amazing priest who had been so kind as to provide her with such luxury. _

_ “Oh, Father! It’s wonderful! Thank you so much!” _

_ The tall, skinny man smiled at her and nodded. _

_ “Rest easy, my child. You shall wander no longer. Welcome home.” _

_ Biscuit smiled back, her tail starting to wag like crazy before her eyes moved to gaze upon that bed once more. It was a full-sized, human bed that reminded her of the one she used to sleep in with her previous owner, such a comforting sight after months of sleeping out on the streets or on the pews of the priest’s church. She had been grateful to have the shelter of the church, of course, but this...this was everything she had ever wanted. However grateful she had been that day when the priest had first allowed her to seek refuge in the house of the Lord, it could in no way compare to how she felt now being shown her new accommodations here at The Dime. _

_ Oh, how gracious the man was for showing her this place where he took in the lost and weary. _

_ He was truly a righteous man. _

_ As she was taking in the sight, she suddenly felt something being placed around her neck. The sensation caused her to jump and look back over at the man standing next to her who was now leaning over and fastening a necklace of some kind. _

_ “Here.” _

_ It was a necklace of rosary beads, the kind she had seen other women in the church wearing. _

_ “This will serve as indication of the one you now serve.” _

_ The smile on her face grew as she nodded in understanding. _

_ “Our heavenly father.” _

_ The man didn’t say anymore, just simply smiled at her as Biscuit turned to look over her room once more. _

_ Unable to contain herself any longer, the canine rushed over and hopped up onto her new bed before lying down belly up, basking in the warm comfort as her form sank down into the mattress. Her body shivered, unable to contain the pure joy she was feeling. _

_ “I don’t know how I could ever repay you.” _

_ She looked up at the ceiling in pure contentment. _

_ “I am more than happy to do this for you, Terri. All I ask in return is that you assist me in assisting others from now on. Many people come to this place seeking the same comfort you have been given. Comfort them in whatever way they desire, and I promise to always keep a place for you here.” _

_ The canine’s tail stopped wagging. It wasn’t so much the offer that gave her pause. No, that seemed more than fair. Of course she would be willing to help others with the same generosity that had been provided to her! But...that name. The priest had given her that name, and it was still odd to hear. It didn’t feel right to no longer go by the name Luke had given her, but she had also been afraid to correct the priest when they had initially encountered each other. _

_ And, now...it just seemed like an awkward thing to ask the man to start calling her something else. _

_ Terri… _

_ She’d just have to get used that name, she supposed. _

_ She must have laid there for a while just thinking because the next thing that got her attention was a sigh from her new caretaker. _

_ “Well, I can see that you’re just taking everything in. That’s fine. I’ll leave you be, for now, but you’ll be expected to start work soon.” _

_ The dog turned to address the man, but he was already exiting the room and shutting the door. _

_ “Oh! Wait!” _

_ The canine hopped up from the bed and down to the floor. Had she come across as rude? She certainly hoped not, and it was for this reason that she wanted to thank the priest once more. _

_ But, the door had already been shut as she reached it, and it suddenly dawned on her that she had no real easy way to open it. Another shiver hit her as the room suddenly felt colder than before. Was she meant to just wait for the priest to return before she could leave again? _

_ That seemed odd… _

_ No, it must have been some kind of oversight on the Father’s part, and besides, while there was no EASY way to open the door, it wasn’t IMPOSSIBLE. So, the young female set to work proving this fact, moving over to a chair that was next to a vanity mirror and taking hold of one of the legs with her mouth. She dragged the chair over to the door and then hopped up onto it before standing up tall and leaning over so that her mouth could reach the doorknob. Once she had a grip, she moved her head to turn the knob. _

_ It didn’t budge. _

_ The canine’s eyebrow raised in confusion, but she tried again, this time turning the knob in the opposite direction. _

_ It didn’t move an inch. _

_ Was the knob stuck? _

_ Her heart began to beat a bit faster as she started trying to turn the knob back and forth over and over again, hoping that it would eventually give. _

_ It didn’t, though, and after several minutes of trying unsuccessfully to open the door, the dog had no choice but to release her grip as now wide eyes continued to stare at the solid, impenetrable wooden barricade that was preventing her exit. _

_ “Why…? Why is it locked?” _

And it never ended…

No matter how much she prayed for it to...

How many prayers had she offered straight up to the sun…?

Tears stung at the dog’s eyes, both due to the memory and the intense pain she was enduring as she rushed through the city. She was in no way in the proper shape for this kind of physical exertion. Her limbs, still swollen from pregnancy, felt like they could give out at any minute. Her paws seemed to hurt the most, though, and when she chanced a brief glance downward, she could see that the skin had broken apart at the seams allowing blood to seep out of the tears and leave a trail of bloody pawprints along the ground.

She wanted to collapse…

But the sleeping puppy moved again, and this reminder of his presence gave her the strength necessary to push all of her discomfort to the back of her mind and continue on.

_ Brian… _

How thankful she was for this little life, the life that had finally given her the courage needed to escape her imprisonment at The Dime.

The life that would allow her to begin a new chapter of hers.

If anything could make her past several years of suffering worthwhile, it was this pup, right here. Her dear Brian would make everything right. She just knew it. Her torture had not been in vain.

It couldn’t have been.

Her heavenly father wouldn’t put her through all of that for nothing.

Would he…?

_ “Time to get to work, Ms. Terri!” _

_ The canine looked up from the spot where she was lying on the bed to see her door being flung open by a man with an unfamiliar face. _

_ An unpleasant, angry looking face. _

_ The body it was attached to wasn’t much more appealing, seemingly all skin and bone, an older gentleman with stringy hair and a very obvious beer belly. He wore a tattered shirt and a pair of suspenders held up some shabby trousers that didn't quite cover his frail-looking legs. _

_ Biscuit had never seen this man before in her life. _

_ “Wh-What? Who are you?” _

_ The man scoffed and motioned for someone else to come in, keeping his eyes directed away from the dog as he replied. _

_ “The name is Tuck, and I help The Father run this little establishment. We’re going to get to know each other real well, you and I.” _

_ He clapped his hands, and then, another dog, a male dog, rounded the corner and made his way into the room. _

_ Tuck smirked and pointed at Biscuit. _

_ “There ya go, boy. There’s your bitch for the night.” _

_ There was an unnerving lack of expression on the other dog’s face as he then began stalking his way towards the female on the bed. _

_ Biscuit stood up, her eyes opening wider as she stared at the scene before her in confusion. _

_ “What’s going on?” _

_ Tuck just laughed smarmily as he shook his head. _

_ “Have a good night, you two! Break ‘er in good, Fido!” _

_ With one last chuckle, the man slammed the door shut, sealing the confused female and her unwanted guest inside together for the evening. _

It couldn’t have been for nothing…

Where was she?

These streets...they seemed familiar, but it had just been so long since she’d wandered them. If only she could take a moment to actually stop and try and figure out where she was. To stop now would be foolish, though, so very foolish. It felt like she had been running for a while, and she knew that people would be coming after her. She couldn’t let them catch up.

She couldn’t stop.

So, on she went, weaving in and out of streets with hardly any consideration to where they might lead. She just needed to run away from that place…

But...where even was that place in relation to where she was now?

She didn’t even know that much anymore.

That building. That one, there. Had she passed that one once already? Was she running in circles?

How did she get out of this city!?

She was so exhausted.

It was just so hard to think!

The canine felt like her feet were on fire, like they might snap right off of her legs at any moment. It was absolute agony.

Maybe she wouldn’t be able to do this after all…

It was a thought that she immediately brushed aside. She had to keep going. She’d sooner die than give up now.

It wasn’t long after thinking this that a sound made its way into Biscuit’s ears. They perked up, and the canine, for the first time since bolting away from her prison, slowed down, her run becoming more of a jog as she focused in on the sound. It sounded like...running water, and then, suddenly, it clicked with the desperate mother just what she was hearing.

The dog began sprinting again, this time turning to head in the direction of that sound that was promising her salvation. She turned down a neighboring street, and right there, off in the distance, was a river at the very end of the street.

The River.

The one she had followed all those years ago…

And now she would follow it again.

Summoning a strength she didn’t even realize she had, the female began running even faster than before, eyes firmly fixed on the water that was rushing out of the city she so desperately needed to escape.

She was so focused on what was ahead that she completely ignored anything that might have been coming from behind, and it was for this reason that she was completely taken off guard as a car suddenly drove past her and came to an immediate stop after pulling in front of her.

She had no time to slow down before running full speed into the back of the vehicle.

_ The pups were nursing, but their mother was trying to not pay them much mind. _

_ Why should she? _

_ It wouldn’t be long before Tuck showed up to take them away to serve their destined purpose. That’s how it always went. She loved all her puppies, but she had learned that it was simply best not to get attached, at this point. It wasn’t like there was anything she could do. She hadn’t left this room in so long… Still, she felt bad for them. _

_ She felt guilty. _

_ Why should these poor things be doomed to such harsh fates simply because she had given birth to them? How was that fair? Of course, she was well aware that life was in no way fair. One could only do the best they could with the hand they were dealt, and from there, it was all up to the heavenly father. _

_ No, it wasn’t fair. _

_ But Biscuit also acknowledged that she was incapable of seeing the bigger picture, as well. _

_ The Lord worked in mysterious ways, after all. It was just a shame that those mysterious ways had led her and her children to this life. _

_ All she could do was hope...and pray. _

_ The door to her room opened, and Biscuit looked over to see Tuck standing in the doorway. Just as she suspected, he was holding a dog carrier. _

_ It was time again. _

_ She shut her eyes, not wanting to watch as the pups were gathered up and taken away from her for good. It hurt so much. Everytime it hurt so much… _

_ She felt them being pulled away from her, and then, she heard the man clicking his tongue as if in thought. _

_ “This ’un looks a mite bit scrawny.” _

_ Biscuit opened her eyes and saw Tuck holding the smallest pup of the litter by the scruff of his neck. The man was shaking his head. _

_ “I’m afraid this just won’t do.” _

_ He shrugged and tossed the puppy in with the others. _

_ “Aw, well, guess I’ll deal with it later, see if the boss wants to even bother having this ‘un around.” _

_ The canine didn’t like the sound of that. _

_ She shot up to her feet. _

_ “Wh-What do you mean? What will he do with him?” _

_ An all too familiar smirk came over the man’s face. _

_ “Now, don’t you worry about that, Ms. Terri. It’s no concern of yours.” _

_ He closed the carrier and turned to leave. _

_ “Besides, you have a customer. Better pull yourself together. We aim to please here at The Dime, after all.” _

_ Biscuit caught one last glimpse of the puppies as Tuck left the room. Tears began to sting at her eyes, but then, she heard footsteps approaching. _

_ A client. _

_ No time for tears now. _

_ The Father wouldn’t like that... _

_ With that thought in mind, she buried her sadness and forced a smile on her face just as her company appeared in the doorway. _

_ She winked at him. _

_ He smiled back. _

_ And shut the door. _

Biscuit opened her eyes and immediately took notice of an intense soreness in her forehead. She looked around, trying to get her bearings. Her vision was hazy, though. All she knew was that she was still outside but that she was now lying on the pavement. It sounded like the car was still next to her, too. The canine went to stand up, wincing as she did so. Her limbs were still on fire. She had to keep going, though, had to get her and Brian out of here…

Her and Brian…

Brian…

It was then that she noticed she was no longer holding her precious bundle in her mouth.

_ Brian!? _

“Terri!”

That voice…

_ No… _

She walked around to the driver’s side of the car just in time to see Tuck stepping out of the still running vehicle. The female Labrador felt her heart start to race again as she began frantically scanning the area for her son. They had to keep running. This man would NOT take them back!

“You’ve caused us an awful lot of trouble tonight, ya bitch!”

Biscuit ignored him. She couldn’t bother giving him any attention, right now. She had to find her Brian!

“Hey, ya mutt! I’m talkin’ to ya! Do you have any idea what we do to runaways!?”

Tuck was approaching her, and she could feel the desire to flee starting to take hold. But, she still didn’t see Brian anywhere. Where was her son!?

“You should know. You should know good and well what happens to people who refuse to know their place.”

_ Brian!? Where are you!? _

“Lucky for you, though, you’re a bit more valuable than the other whores, so the boss is actually feeling a bit generous. He said he would hate to have to get rid of The Dime’s very own little Ms. Terri. So, if you just come with me, I’m sure he’ll be willing to put this whole messiness behind us like it never happened.”

Biscuit was shaking, concern for her son growing as she shook her head, refusing Tuck’s proposal. They weren’t going back. They weren’t going back!

The man was next to her then. He was leaning down to grab her, but Biscuit jumped away just before he had his filthy arms around her.

The man sneered.

“Fine. If that’s the way you want it...”

He then lunged at her, this time successfully getting his arms around the canine as he began struggling to pick her up.

_ NO! _

Biscuit began flailing, trying like mad to break the hold Tuck had gotten on her, but the man was holding fast, not wanting to loosen his grip for anything. Luckily, though, her flailing was making it very difficult for him to pick her up.

“Stop strugglin’, ya mutt!”

There was no way in hell she was going to do that. Her eyes kept looking over the area in search of Brian as she continued to struggle with her tormentor.

“Goddammit! STOP!”

Tuck’s shout rang down the streets. The ferocity in his tone caused her to cease her movements momentarily, but then, she felt a foot slamming into her side as Tuck delivered a hard and swift kick to her body.

The canine grimaced but did not give up the fight or the search.

_ Where are you? Where are you, dear? _

It was at that moment when Biscuit began to make out the sounds of soft whimpering, and then, those whimpers became loud, high-pitched howls.

_ Brian! _

The howls were coming from underneath the vehicle, and Biscuit began to fight harder as she attempted to move away from Tuck and over to the underside of the car. The man wasn’t letting her get far, though. He kicked her again.

“That the pup you stole under there? Don’t you worry, the boss had no use for that runt. We won’t be taking him back with us.”

A death sentence.

To leave this young thing all alone out here on the street was surely a death sentence, and Biscuit was not going to let that be her son’s fate. The weakness in her body ebbed away as adrenaline began to course through her veins. She growled, gnashing her teeth at the man before extending her claws and taking a swipe at an arm that was wrapped around her torso. Her underutilized claws were still more than capable of breaking the skin, the fresh cuts causing Tuck to let go and jump away in shock.

“Ahhhhh! What the he-”

He didn’t have time to finish his sentence before Biscuit, with crazed, savage eyes, turned around and lunged at him, knocking the man to the ground as she opened her mouth and latched onto his neck with her teeth. Tuck cried out in pain and began banging his fists against the animal’s head as he choked out what little words he could.

“Let! Go! Bitch! Let! Go!”

_ NO! _

The canine tightened her grip, teeth sinking into skin and causing blood to start spilling from the man’s throat.

“AHHH!”

Tuck began to panic, his body thrashing about in the middle of the road as he tried in vain to remove himself from the dog’s strong jaws.

Biscuit showed him no mercy, all that mattered was protecting her son from this monster, so she continued to bite down harder and harder, causing more and more blood to spill from the man’s neck before it drizzled down his body and onto the ground where it commingled with the blood from the canine’s still bleeding feet.

Tuck’s cries eventually fell silent as he lost the ability to speak entirely, and it wasn’t long after that before his body ceased to move, as well. His eyes fell shut, and it wasn’t until she was sure that they wouldn’t open again that Biscuit finally released the sad individual from her mouth.

The madness in her eyes faded away as she stood there looking over the man’s body, panting heavily as the adrenaline rush began to subside.

“Awroooooo!”

She was snapped out of the moment by the continuing howls of her son, but there was another sound accompanying those howls now.

“I think she went this way! I hear something!”

More of her pursuers were quickly closing in.

Without wasting anymore time, Biscuit rushed to climb under the vehicle. She didn’t have to look long before seeing Brian lying there still wrapped in cloth, awake, and hysterically crying out for his mother. It was enough to break the female Labrador’s heart as she scooped up the pup and climbed out from under the vehicle.

_ I’m here, baby. Mommy’s here. _

“There’s the car! It’s stopped! Tuck must have found her!”

She didn’t need to hear any more.

“That’s her!”

She resumed sprinting down the street towards the river.

_ "Faster!" _

_ The human male currently residing inside her showed no hesitation to obey this command, his thrusts increasing in speed as the canine rested on her back with her head hanging over the foot of the bed so that she could see herself being violated in the mirror. _

_ Violated… _

_ The image sickened her. Even after all of this time, it made her stomach churn to see herself being used in such a way, but she could never let that show. All that mattered was satisfying the client. To fail that would be to displease the priest, and...that was something that was best avoided. _

_ “Mmmm! Harder!” _

_ So, instead, she was better off forcing the same smile she always wore around these men and shouting out her encouragements. That always did the trick. It was almost too easy to give these guys what they wanted. _

_ “Ohhhhhhh, you’ve got it, baby!” _

_ Her current customer threw all caution to the wind and began going at her wildly and recklessly. _

_ It wouldn’t be too much longer now. _

_ Good. She was ready to get this over with. _

_ The man’s hands came up and wrapped around her neck as he lost himself in the moment. They squeezed her, nails digging deep past her fur and into sensitive skin, but the canine didn’t even flinch. Sure, it hurt a little, but she was used to this. Besides, if anyone actually brought serious harm to her, there was no way they were ever leaving this building anyway. So, it was a win-win as far as she was concerned. _

_ They’d get what was coming to them. _

_...And she would be put out of her misery… _

“Stop! Get back here!”

The mob was in pursuit, but Biscuit paid them no mind as she reached the end of the road.

Salvation was in sight.

With no other options left to her, the determined mother leapt up into the air and right into the rushing waters, allowing them to whisk her and her son rapidly downstream.

Perhaps too rapidly…

Almost immediately, the canine began to struggle with staying above the rushing waters, head sinking below the depths over and over as she fought to at least keep her son safely above them.

It was so very hard to breathe, though…

She could only breathe through her nose since her mouth was currently occupied with carrying Brian, and this became more and more of a problem as she continued to bob in and out of the water. Her nostrils were finding it harder and harder to take in air, instead only taking in more and more water. It wasn’t long before her lungs were absolutely on fire. She could feel herself growing faint. Her strength was leaving her.

She couldn’t breathe…

Her eyes fell shut…

Then they flew open as instinct forced her to rush back above the water so that she could open her mouth and inhale deep a much-needed breath.

Unfortunately, this caused her to lose her grip on Brian, and before she even had time to react, the pup had gotten away from her and fallen into the depths of the rushing river.

_ BRIAN!!!!! _

Terror.

Absolute terror consumed the desperate mother as she quickly dived under the water in the hopes of rescuing her son before it was too late. The river wasn’t incredibly deep, but the rapid current still made it difficult to see anything beneath the surface. Still, Biscuit stayed under the water for as long as she could, fighting pain and fatigue as she scanned the waters for her precious bundle. It wasn’t until she started to black out again that she finally came back up for air.

Brian was nowhere in sight.

What little breathing she was able to manage became erratic before she dove down once more. She had to find him. She had to find Brian.

That poor boy…

Once again, she remained under the water, swimming around frantically as she searched for the puppy for as long as she could. She began to feel faint again.

She had no choice but to emerge.

Brian was still nowhere in sight…

She came up out of the water gasping for breath, breathing still uneven and making it incredibly difficult to keep herself composed. She couldn’t lose it now, though. Time was not on her side. Who knew how long her son could remain under there before he finally…

Tears formed in her eyes.

She dove back under the water.

Panic.

Fear.

Desperation.

The tired canine began to feel faint again.

She had to swim back up to the surface.

No sign of Brian…

The raging stream continued to beat down on her as she tried to catch her breath, but her inconsistent inhales were quickly turning into sobs as she began to fear that she had lost her son forever. In the blink of an eye, she had given into weakness, and now, her son would pay the ultimate price.

This had all been for nothing…

The female Labrador began to weep, what little strength she had quickly fading as she contemplated giving herself to the waters surrounding her.

Her body began vibrating in response to her intense crying.

_ How can I go on after all this suffering? _

She continued to cry, feet that had been struggling to keep her afloat beginning to slow as the desire to give up became stronger and stronger. She began to whimper loudly, soft but high-pitched whines rising above the roar of the stream.

But...no.

Wait.

That wasn’t her whimpering.

_ Brian? _

Her feet began to kick faster as she focused in on that sound and began to look over the river’s surface in search of its source. After a few seconds, she heard it again, very distinctly, delicate but terrified whimpering.

_ Brian! _

The canine began swimming towards the sound, knowing it had to be her dear boy. There was nothing else it could be. Brian was calling out for her! He was ok!

For now…

She had to hurry. She still couldn’t slow down just yet. Using the strong current to propel her forward, Biscuit hurriedly made her way closer and closer to the pup, his cries growing louder and louder to her ears. The water in her eyes blurred her vision, but eventually, she was able to make out a speck of white bobbing in and out of the water.

The mother swam like the devil was on her heels.

And, soon, she had caught up to the pup who was currently in peril.

She’d made it. The canine opened her jaws and grabbed at the cloth that was still, by some miracle, securely holding her son. She pulled him in close, but the rushing water was simply putting her right back in the position she had started in. It was just so difficult to hold onto Brian and keep afloat at the same time.

She wouldn’t let go for anything this time, though.

_ I'm here, baby. I’ll never let you go again. I promise. _

She never wanted to let this innocent soul down again, so she began kicking her legs with everything she could muster. Her body had been through so much already, but so long as there was any strength left in her, she would do everything she could to protect her son. She fought to keep her head above the surface as the river seemed to do everything it could to force her down. It succeeded occasionally, making it harder and harder to breathe. The tired canine tried to regulate the breaths she was taking with her nostrils, but it did little to help as water kept coming in where air needed to be. It seemed like every time she tried to take a breath, it just ended up escaping her, and before long, she began to feel her lungs heating up again as her body struggled to keep going despite a lack of oxygen.The temptation to open up her mouth just like before and take in a huge gulp of air was an intense one, but she wouldn’t give in, not this time. So long as her heart was beating, she would not let him go again.

_ So long as my heart is beating, I won’t let you go! _

She shut her eyes and prepared for the fight of her life!

And that’s when the waters finally went calm.

Biscuit felt the current slow down, felt the water ease up so that she no longer had to struggle to keep her head above it. She opened her eyes, and at last, took a moment to catch her breath, breathing in deeply as relief washed over her.

It was ok.

They were going to be ok.

Her aching legs began to move at a slower rate, a gentle paddle that was now more than enough to keep her and her son afloat as she allowed the soothing pace of the river’s flow to carry them along its way. As they made their way down the river, Biscuit looked down at her boy. The child was shivering slightly due to being so damp in the cold night air. She’d have to do something to warm him up as soon as she was able to. Still, she couldn’t help but smile down at the discontented pup.

Her dear Brian.

Her little miracle.

So young and, yet, he’d already gone through so much.

He was strong.

He was pure.

And he was going to stay that way.

_ I won’t let this world hurt you. _

The female Labrador looked up to the sky then, eyes fixated on the moon as she closed her eyes once more and offered up a prayer to her heavenly father, a prayer that her son would never know of the wickedness of the world, a prayer that he’d never have to endure the same pain and suffering she had for so many years. There had been no one to protect her when she needed it, but that would not be the case for her son.

She was here.

She would protect him.

Joy swelled in her heart as she opened her eyes. They were coming over a hill now, and there, on the horizon, was the lake from when she was a puppy and the farmhouse that stood not too far from it, the only true home she had ever known.

The Lake.

She began to cry again.

One step forward.

_ The door opened. _

_ Biscuit cut her prayer short, so that she could turn around and check to see who was entering her room. _

_ It was Tuck. _

_ “Well, well, well, Ms. Terri. We’ve reached the end of another week, and as per usual, you’ve left all your clients satisfied and eager to return.” _

_ The man smiled, chuckling as he stepped into the room. _

_ “That’s very good. Our goal here is to offa the very best service in town so they keep comin’ back to us. After all, you know what we say ‘ere at The Dime.” _

_ He laughed again before allowing his smile to fall. _

_ “Even after all this time, it still blows me away just how profitable keepin’ ya around ended up being. There’s some depraved fucks ‘ere in Quahog, that’s for sure…” _

_ Tuck paused for a minute, his expression seeming to indicate that he was thinking about something. Biscuit simply remained standing where she was, not sure if she should speak up or not. Eventually, though, the man was pulled away from whatever thoughts had momentarily distracted him as he focused his attention back on the canine in the room. _

_ “Anyway, you hit your goal for the week, which means ya get the Sunday off. As per usual, you're free to wander around The Dime as you please.” _

_ He moved from in front of the door and motioned for Biscuit to leave. As the canine went to walk past him, the man chuckled and began waving a sarcastic finger. _

_ "But don't ya go leavin' the building now. Would be a shame if something happened to you out there." _

_ He guffawed at his own joke and then gave a sigh of self-satisfaction. _

_ “Enjoy your day of rest, Ms. Terri. Maybe attend the sermon the boss has prepared for everyone this mornin’. It might do ya some good. Food for the soul.” _

Sunday.

She hadn’t even really given much thought to what day it was in the heat of the moment, but today was Sunday…

The river deposited the female Labrador and her son into the lake, its final destination, and Biscuit began paddling to shore as she continued to cry tears of joy.

_ “Nothing compares to The Dime’s little Ms. Terri!” _

The tears in her eyes continued to fall as the full weight of the freedom she now had finally began to hit her.

_ “Fuck! You really are a good girl!” _

She began swimming faster.

_ “The boss’s little side venture is doing really well, in case you were wondering.” _

Home. They were home!

_ “Faster!” _

This was home!

_ “Harder!” _

By the time she had made it to shore, her legs were aching almost unbearably, a severe pain that throbbed in the joints as she began walking towards the farmhouse. She didn’t care, though. She was just too thrilled to have returned to this sanctuary.

Brian’s sanctuary…

He’d have a good life here.

He’d be safe.

He’d be hidden.

He’d be...home.

...It was good to be home.

_ “You should know good and well what happens to people who refuse to know their place.” _

She walked up onto the porch of the house and set her son down by the door.

_ “This will serve as indication of the one you now serve.” _

She stood up on her hind legs and took the knob of the front door into her mouth.

_ “You know what we say ‘ere at The Dime.” _

The door opened.

She looked down at her bundle that had somehow managed to find sleep once more.

_ "Terri!" _

“Welcome home, dear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics for City Escape:
> 
> Please, what happened to the flame? (It burned down the sides.)  
> With a fondness for cooking history, revealing thoughts of Ms. Terri.
> 
> In the heat of the night, (But why?)  
> A woman wealthy of a parous plight erased a harlot's life.
> 
> Plagued by practical, and a mercenary lust, they tear at her skin.  
> The trouble began, but it never ended.  
> Clawing at her throat with a smell of desperate, and a lack of regret.  
> The trouble began, but it never ended.
> 
> Free, pardoned by the flame. (It burned down the sides.)  
> Her feet began to bleed between the seams,  
> But she persisted to the streets.
> 
> In the heat of the night, (But why?)  
> The river rendered the chance she surely needs to stay alive.
> 
> Plagued by practical, and a mercenary lust, they tear at her skin.  
> The trouble began, but it never ended.  
> Clawing at her throat with a smell of desperate, and a lack of regret.  
> The trouble began, but it never ended.
> 
> Oh, but her breath escapes her.  
> Oh, but the pulse remains.
> 
> Places, People, the stage is set.  
> 


	4. The Inquiry of Ms. Terri

_We’re safe._

_We’re here._

_It wasn’t the plan._

_There was no plan._

_But fate has allowed me to return._

_It brought me back._

_He brought us back._

_To sanctuary._

_To paradise._

* * *

_He’d never be free so long as she was..._

Biscuit’s eyes opened slowly as her automatic stretching response kicked in, her limbs extending along the hardwood floor of the entryway as the small body next to hers continued to breathe in and out slowly.

A comforting presence.

She smiled, happy to know that her son and she were finally able to rest peacefully. It had been so long since she’d been able to, but luckily, now she knew that Brian would never have to worry about never being able to rest easy again.

He’d rest easy for all his days.

That was her wish.

She carefully maneuvered her body away from the pup, the rosary around her neck jingling ever so slightly as she took great care to not wake him while rising to stand. Her eyes blinked as she attempted to rid them of the crust that had accumulated during her deep slumber, vision gradually becoming less blurry, more clear.

Fully clear.

For the first time since arriving, the female labrador took a moment to take in her surroundings. It had been so long since she’d been in this house. She had dreamt many a dream about her brief time living in this house. She had never imagined she would ever return.

And yet...here she was.

Life was ready to resume right where she had left it, the past several years destined to become nothing more than horrible nightmares that she hoped to escape one day. That’s how it should be.

Because, god, it just felt so RIGHT being back in this house.

Yes...right… Everything was exactly how she remembered it, after all.

…

Well...maybe not exactly.

Maybe it was just the fact that it was still dark, or had day come and gone only to bring darkness once more?

How long had she been asleep?

The canine shook her head of whatever drowsiness remained and began to wander about the house.

Yes, everything was practically right where she had last seen it, like she had never left.

But, also like not a soul had encountered this place in the time she had been gone.

And...that...that just felt WRONG.

Familiar...yet foreign.

Yes, it was exactly how she remembered it...and also not at all how it had been.

There was no life here, anymore. She could tell that there hadn’t been since she left. Then again, maybe all life had left this place as soon as it had left its owner’s.

Her caretaker…

Life had left, and time had taken its toll. The dust rising up with each step she took was a clear indicator of that. The living room contained a bookcase that appeared about ready to fall apart. The kitchen reeked of the stench of spoiled food that would never be touched. The bathroom had a toilet that was now full of stagnant water.

Death and decay had made their home here, and the signs of their touch could be seen everywhere as she made her way all around the first floor, only stopping once she had made it back into the entryway and was facing the staircase that led up to the second.

As happy as she was to be back, it wasn’t quite enough to overcome the sadness she felt at seeing her old home in such a state.

Sadness...and guilt.

Maybe she should have never left. Maybe she should have stayed to take care of her home.

Of Luke’s home...

But, no, that had been an impossibility. She would have never survived.

She knew that.

_Would dying here really have been much worse than what did become of me, though?_

The rosary around her neck began to feel heavy.

She remembered how bad it was.

She remembered how scared she had been.

She remembered leaving.

She remembered how difficult her journey following the river was.

She remembered how cold she had been...how hungry…

She remembered first seeing Quahog.

She remembered feeling relieved...then disappointed.

She remembered sleeping along the streets...scrounging for food.

...She remembered the church.

She remembered the priest.

She remembered guidance.

She remembered teachings and blessings.

…

She remembered The Dime.

She remembered...the pimp.

She remembered betrayal.

She remembered punishment and curses.

She remembered it all.

Her vision grew blurry once more as tears began to fall.

Memories…

All memories now…

Memories that kept bringing her right back to those moments, kept making her feel all she had felt.

The good and the bad.

Memories, a blessing and a curse.

_It’s over now._

She inhaled deeply and nodded her head at her own affirmation.

It was over. The memories may be there, but she couldn’t let herself become chained by them. That wasn’t her life anymore.

The priest couldn’t find her here.

Their ties were severed.

It was over.

She looked down at the rosary dangling from her neck, a reminder of where she had been, of the tribulations she had endured.

It marked her.

She considered for a moment ripping it off.

Why wouldn’t she, considering what all it represented?

Such a holy symbol, tainted by…

Corrupted by…

…

Wait…

...

_Such a holy symbol…_

She paused, head tilting slightly as she considered the object around her neck again.

...It was, indeed, a very holy symbol.

...

...And it marked her…

She smiled. A favorite passage coming to mind.

_The Lord works...in mysterious ways._

Wasn't that what The Book said? It's what she had always been told, at least, and it always managed to bring her some form of comfort.

Why should that change? Especially now?

Because nothing could ever tarnish what was represented here, no experience, no person.

Not even him.

All could be made new so long as there was faith.

And she still had that…

Nothing, no experience...no person...could ever strip that from her.

She had faith.

All WOULD be made new, and this is where it would start.

That which was tarnished could be made pure. Where death and decay ruled, now life and bounty would thrive.

This is where life began once again, renewed and new.

She nodded her head and began ascending the staircase.

The stairs creaked and almost felt like they could give at any moment, but she kept climbing, determined to see the rest of her home. She definitely had some work to do. Brian deserved a nice home, so hopefully she would be able to clean the place up a bit before he got much older. He deserved somewhere safe and clean, definitely clean.

She arrived at the top and began wandering around the remaining rooms, her head tilting up slightly as she observed the entry point for the attic which she had no way of reaching, the one area of the house she had never been in. Maybe one day she would venture up there. Would some of Luke’s old things be up there? The thought brought her joy, but it also made her wonder just how much of the history of this house she would need to tell her son. Did he need to know about the man who once lived here and took care of her? Was there any way to bring that up without inevitably leading Brian to wonder about what had happened to cause them to be here alone? She didn’t want her son to know about anything that had happened to her, didn’t want him to know of anything beyond this place. It was all too incomprehensible and horrible. The world would not be granted the opportunity to break her son down the way it had done to her.

She’d sooner die.

All these thoughts drifted through her mind as she explored the last few rooms of the house, memories of her time spent in each one flashing before her as she went on, eventually leaving one last room untouched.

Luke’s bedroom.

Her breath hitched as a chill shot through her body. She stared at the door concealing the room and wondered just what she would find once it was open. Should she even open it at all? Because...if this place had been abandoned and left to decay once she had left...did that mean that Luke was still…?

_No…_

It was such an awful thought, the possibility that Luke’s body could still be in this house, and she wasn’t too sure she wanted to risk the possibility of bearing witness to the corpse of her caretaker…

And yet...a part of her felt compelled to find out for sure. After all, what if Luke’s body was behind that door, and what if Brian were to one day…

No, she had to find out. This was her son’s home now, and it was her responsibility as a mother to ensure he was raised in a home where such horrors were far, far away from him. Hopefully, she would find nothing behind that door, but if that ended up not being the case, she knew she would have to...take care of it.

The canine gulped and finally went to open the door, standing up on hind legs and gripping the knob in her mouth. She turned it, and the door moved forward. She went to stand on all fours again, heart feeling like it would pound right out of her chest as terror tried its best to grip and paralyze her.

It took several minutes before she was able to work up the courage to finally move and push the door open further. She still didn’t have it in her to move quickly, though. The door moved inch by inch, and Biscuit found herself closing her eyes upon finally entering the room, her legs shaking. A whimper escaped the female labrador before she took in a deep breath through her nostrils.

_Please...don’t still be here, Luke…_

After a few more seconds, she finally managed to open one of her eyes. The other opened soon after, and then, they both drifted up to look at the bed. What she saw made her heart stop.

_It’s...empty…_

Her entire body went still as she waited for the relief to hit her. Luke’s body was gone. That was one last thing for her to worry about, especially since only a moment ago she had been absolutely horrified at the prospect of possibly having to see and dispose of her former caretaker.

Dammit! She should be thrilled to see that bed empty!

Relief never came, though. Instead, as Biscuit took in the sight of that bed where she had spent many nights as a puppy, she couldn’t help but to start envisioning all the happy moments that had taken place there. Just right now, she was practically able to see her and Luke snuggled together and looking at some of the old pictures in his album, pictures of the woman that had been there before her, a woman that Luke cared about...very much. She could see the tears in his eyes, and soon...tears were in her eyes, as well.

She’d never see that man again…

He truly was gone.

Of course, she had known that, but...finally being back in this room...without Luke...alone… It all finally hit her. Luke had experienced loss, but that man had found her.

Who did she have now…?

Brian was too young to understand, but even if he could, she had resolved to never let him know what she had been through. She wouldn’t put that on Brian. Unfortunately, this meant she really did have no one to turn to. This struggle was hers alone.

It was just too much to bear.

The canine broke down, then, her tears starting to flow freely as her body began to tremble once more. She had lost so much, and no matter how much that had hurt in the past, it felt like the full impact of that loss was finally hitting her.

_I’m alone! I had everything, and it was taken away from me, leaving me with nothing!_

She growled and raised her head up to the ceiling as she cried up to whoever would listen.

“It’s not fair!”

_“You know what they say…”_

“Ahhhh!”

Biscuit began running around the room. A rage taking hold that made her crave violence. She began clawing at the walls, sharp nails extending and tearing into wood that she wished was flesh. That man… That damned man! She didn’t deserve what had happened to her! No one deserved to endure what she had!

Except for him…

“Grrrrrrrrraaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!”

_Touch, taste, feel…_

“No!”

She jumped back in terror at the words that had entered her mind, a large sob causing her to choke as bile rose in her throat. The rabid canine then hopped up onto a nearby dresser and began knocking everything off of it, sending bottles, cloth, glass, and various other detritus down to the floor before finally turning her attention to a mirror that was situated on the wall next to her. Catching sight of her reflection caused her to pause momentarily as she took in the sight of a dog that, in her mind, looked nothing like her.

Too crazed. Too...exhausted...

_That’s not… That’s not me. That can’t be me!_

Then something else appeared in the reflection then, the image of HIM. He was standing behind her and smirking as he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but kept staring at the mirror.

_“Touch…”_

“No… You’re not here.”

He licked his lips.

_“Taste…”_

Biscuit shook violently and closed her eyes.

“You’re not here! I got away from you!”

Even with her eyes closed, she could still feel his presence, still hear him laughing at her. He squeezed her shoulder. Hard.

_“Feel.”_

Fingers began digging sharply into skin.

Her eyes shot open.

“YOU’RE!”

She leapt to the side.

“NOT!”

She reached up and placed her paws against the back of the mirror.

“HERE!”

And then she sent it down to the floor where it shattered on impact.

“WE GOT AWAY FROM YOU!!!”

The tears were still coming, but now she was breathing heavily through seething teeth as she fought to get herself under control, fought to keep that devil out of her head. Her eyes shut tightly again, but she couldn’t stop thinking about that place, couldn’t get the words out of her head.

_Touch...taste...feel...touch...taste...feel...touch…_

She whimpered again as that familiar presence returned once more.

_“Two times…”_

“He’s not here… He can’t find me here… I’m safe…”

Everything went still again, and for a moment, the female labrador felt like the terror was subsiding.

Then she heard him, clear as the day she had rarely been able to see.

_“Two times, The Dime.”_

And she couldn’t take it anymore.

The terrified animal hopped over into her old bed and climbed all the way under the blankets, hiding from something she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to escape.

"I hope it all burned to the ground!"

That was her greatest wish, right then. That building, that HELL, was the only thing her tormentor truly cared about. If she had taken that away…

Even still, The Priest had a hold on her, and it made her feel so helpless. Even all the way out here, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d find her one day and then her suffering would begin all over again.

It wasn’t fair. She was free, and all she wanted to do was enjoy that freedom. It was clearer than ever, though, that after all she had experienced she may never actually be completely free. She’d always fear that man, always be looking over her shoulder.

And that knowledge was just too much to bear.

“Oh, God…”

A paw went to cover the rosary around her neck.

“Deliver me.”

The poor animal remained under that blanket crying until she’d expelled all the energy she could. After some time, she fell asleep for the first time in years in the bed that used to bring her so much comfort. Sadly, that comfort was long gone. She had nothing, no escape, and even her dreams soon turned to nightmares.

_“Touch, taste, feel. Two times, The Dime.”_

* * *

There was a lot to think about.

Biscuit was lying on the floor of the entryway as Brian lay next to her nursing, wrapped in that cloth emblazoned with the tree that had come to be a bit of a comfort blanket for the pup. It was curious, really. She had wanted to discard that thing, but seeing how quickly Brian had gotten attached to it made her rethink that decision. Maybe having gone through what he had with it had stuck with him in some way. Who knew? But, now, she couldn’t bear the thought of forcing her son to part with something he so clearly cherished. If nothing else for her, though, it served as a clear reminder of why she had escaped with him in the first place.

As if she needed a reminder... 

Over the last few weeks, she had been slowly transforming the dilapidated farmhouse into a suitable home for her dear son. She had made plenty of progress, and she was proud of that progress. But, there was still so much to do, and Brian wouldn’t be a puppy for long. Dogs aged faster than humans did. She knew that much, and for someone as special as Brian, it wouldn’t be long before he was walking and talking and being nurtured by his life and surroundings.

The prospect of seeing her son growing up was a thrilling one. She couldn’t wait to see the kind of person her son would end up growing into. There would be so much time for them to make so many happy memories together, and she couldn’t help but smile at that thought.

Still, though…

She couldn’t help but also to feel grossly underprepared for the task at hand.

There was a lot to think about.

For now, though, she was content to lie where she was, tending to her young as she shut her eyes and tried to imagine a happy future for them away from all the horrors found in the world outside their little paradise.

She'd make it happen.

She'd do whatever it took to make that happen for Brian.

* * *

Hunting had never come easy for her, and it seemed like, no matter how many times she went out to catch the day’s prey, she wasn’t getting any more adept at it. She was skilled enough, though, she supposed. She’d yet to out and out fail, but she felt that was mostly due to the instincts that were innate to her very being than any kind of true talent on her part. So long as she and Brian were able to stay fed, though, what did it really matter?

The female canine continued to slowly stalk her way through the forest, feeling an urgency starting to come over her as she noticed the sun beginning to go down.

_Gotta hurry._

She was only able to get away during Brian's naps, and today he had been especially restless. That left her with less time to hunt than she usually did.

On top of that, the woods seemed especially dead today, but after a minute, she caught the sound of rustling in the bushes only a few feet away from her. She stopped and crouched down, eyes focusing in the direction of the sound. The rustling was heard again, but this time, she saw the bush move. She smiled and began to crawl forward.

_There we go. Nice and easy._

Her tail began to wave slowly back and forth as she approached the bush as carefully as she could, not wanting to scare whatever creature was currently inhabiting the foliage by stepping on a twig or allowing the chain around her neck to jingle too loudly. Her belly was grazing the ground as she made her way over to the bushes, step by step, and once she was only a couple feet away…

_Gotcha!_

She pounced.

Her body went flying into the bushes, vision immediately becoming obscured by leaves and twigs as she felt her paws land on something small and furry. The canine snarled, showing her teeth before diving her head down and latching onto whatever she was holding. The taste of blood hit her hard, a perfect indication that she had caught something worthwhile. She clamped down on the small animal with her jaw and proceeded to drag it out into the open, revealing her prey.

It was just a squirrel.

Biscuit spat the dead animal out and stared at it as blood continued to run from her mouth. She sighed.

_It’s not much but it will do._

With a grimace she picked the creature back up and turned to head back to the farmhouse.

The walk back wasn’t a long one. She never strayed too far from home. Not long after arriving there with Brian she had set in place pretty strict boundaries, boundaries that she intended to teach Brian once he was old enough to understand.

It wouldn’t be too much longer before that day finally arrived, either.

The pup was still young, still content to spend all his time next to his mother using nothing but yips and whines to communicate, but even at this early stage in her son’s development, Biscuit was beginning to see the signs of his future intelligence. He was going to be like her...and more. She’d always known that.

He would be special.

He was special.

She was already approaching the door. Once on the porch, she set the catch of the day down and opened it before peeking her head inside. To her surprise, Brian wasn’t lying there in the entryway where she had left him. He’d been sleeping, though...and Brian never stirred from his naps. He never really left the bundle of blankets she had arranged there as a bed, either…especially his favorite blanket.

Her heart dropped.

Where had he gone?

“Brian?”

She expected to hear a happy yip from her boy before the sounds of little paws quickly running on the wooden floor as the young pup rushed to greet his mother. She expected this, even if she knew she really had no reason to.

Because this had never happened.

But, she did know that Brian loved her. She could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her.

Pure love. Adoration.

So...why wouldn’t he come running to her?

Her concern grew, and she stepped all the way inside, leaving her kill out on the porch as she began to search the house for her son.

“Brian? Dear?”

_“We don’t need none like him.”_

“Brian…?”

Her heart began to beat faster as she went room to room.

_“He’s got nothing of value to offer to our enterprise ‘ere.”_

“Brian!?”

Had he left? How could he leave? Did someone…

“BRIAN!?”

_“Don’t get too attached to this ‘ere pup now, Mrs. Terri. We’ll be dealing with ‘em soon enough.”_

“DEAR!?”

“Awroo?”

That high-pitched whine of curiosity hit her ear, and she immediately bolted to meet its source in the living room. She screeched to a halt as soon as she passed the doorway and saw the pup sitting upright on all fours on the couch, head tilted at her. Biscuit inhaled deeply before sighing in wonderous relief.

“There you are.”

Brian only paid her mind for a few more moments before turning away and hopping off of the couch, proceeding to walk on four wobbly legs around the room as he glanced over everything within sight.

Biscuit smiled at her son and began walking closer to him.

“Honey, what are you doing?”

The pup didn’t turn around. Instead, he just continued making his way around the room, eventually making his way around the full perimeter of it before exiting it and heading into the next one nearest to the doorway.

The mother laughed at her son and just continued to follow him around, momentarily forgetting about their dinner that was still outside.

“Doing a little exploring there, sweetie?”

Another chuckle escaped her as they began heading into yet another room.

“My, you’re a curious one, aren’t you.”

* * *

“We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.”

Biscuit turned the book more towards the pup sitting next to her and pointed at the current passage she was reading from with her snout.

“You wanna try reading the next verse, dear?”

The boy reached out and pulled the book closer to himself...reached out with paws...paws that were so very different from hers, paws that could actually clutch and grasp... She envied him in a way, but she tried to not focus on this as she waited for her son to start reading.

_Reading…_

Brian was growing so fast. About a month ago he had first started to form words. It was strange at first, actually having someone to talk to, but Biscuit quickly began to realize what a gift that was. Not that she could confide in her son about everything, but simply having someone decent to communicate with was a blessing she had long forgotten she desired.

With this new development, though, came the realization that her duties as a mother were only just getting started. The pup was full of questions, simple ones, but full of them nonetheless. And it was up to her to teach him about the world.

What better place to start than with the one who had created it?

“W-We know that...we a-are ch-chil-dren of God, and that the whoooo… And that the whooooo…”

The pup paused and grunted in frustration.

The mother smiled.

“Whole, honey. You say it like you would a hole in the ground. Except, when it’s spelled like this, it means all of something.”

_Huh…_

Biscuit stopped for a moment to consider that. Two words that sounded the same; one meaning the entirety of something and the other meaning the lack of anything…

“Oh! Ok!”

She was snapped out of her musings as her son continued.

“And that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”

It took a second for the older canine to come back to the present moment, but she was soon nodding in pride at her boy.

“There you go.”

She leaned over and nuzzled his neck.

“Very good, Brian.”

* * *

“Listen to me, Brian.”

The mother looked down at her son sternly, the growing pup standing on four unsteady legs and looking up at her with the utmost attention.

This was his first day outside of the house and that made it an important one. He’d been begging his mother for days to join her when she left the house, and for a while, Biscuit had refused. It soon became clear, though, that she was going to have to let her son leave the house, eventually, so here they were, out in the world together as she began to explain to her boy the rules she had set in place for them.

The river was running to her right.

The lake was in front of her.

And the sun was rising to her left, obscured by a grand bur oak tree that stood in contrast to a dense forest that sat ominously behind her.

She cleared her throat and spoke with utmost seriousness.

“The world is a dangerous place, Brian. I have done my best to make sure you know this, but I will say it again, there is nothing but danger beyond our home. It is my duty as your mother to protect you, and I want you to understand that…”

She sighed.

“The world is nothing but trouble for someone as good and decent as you.”

She stepped forward and came to stand by her son, motioning out towards the lake behind them as Brian turned to face where she was looking.

“This...is our refuge from the world, my dear. Here by this lake, in our house, we are safe from the dangers of the world.”

The pup nodded and looked back at his mother as he responded in understanding.

“We’re protected from evil.”

Biscuit looked down at him and nodded in return as a smile graced her lips.

“Yes, dear. Evil...cannot find us here.”

She turned back towards the tree, her gaze upturning towards the branches that concealed the great, blue sky.

“That’s why you must never leave here. You can never go past this tree, Brian. This tree marks the line between our home and the rest of what is out there, and so long as you never cross that line, you will be safe from anything that may wish to harm you, son. This tree...it keeps evil at bay. ...It protects us.”

The mother closed her eyes then, basking in the warmth of the still rising summer sun, appreciating the gentle wind on her fur.

They were safe here.

At the sound of chirping birds, she finally opened her eyes and directed them back at her boy.

“Do you understand me, Brian?”

The pup stared at his mother seriously and nodded his head in complete certainty.

“Yes, mom. I understand.”

Biscuit smiled.

“Good.”

And, then, she turned around and indicated for Brian to follow her as they began walking away from the tree and back towards their little farmhouse that was now out in the barely visible distance. The pair walked in complete silence until Brian spoke up again after several minutes.

“But...what...is beyond the tree, though?”

The mother came to an immediate stop, gaze still focused steadfastly forward.

Brian looked up at her and hopefully awaited her answer.

After what felt like a great deal of time, however, Biscuit simply looked over at some rabbits that she'd heard running by. She changed course and began stalking towards them.

“Come on, dear.”

Brian watched his mother head back in the opposite direction. He hesitated, frown firmly planted on his face, but eventually, he began following after his mother.

“Mommy needs to show you how she gathers food.”

* * *

“Brian. Can you put the book down, sweetie? We need to get out there before it gets too late.”

The pup was currently in the living room and lying on the floor, engrossed in one of the many books that were contained up in the bookcase. Lately, Brian had been occupying himself quite a bit with those books. Biscuit hadn’t really bothered to see what all he was reading. She was always so busy keeping life comfortable for them, but she was glad that Brian had something worthwhile to keep him entertained.

Besides, they were still reading the most important book of all together every night, and that’s what was truly important.

Biscuit continued to stand there waiting for her son, but it became pretty clear, after a while, that he either hadn’t heard her...or was choosing to ignore her.

She frowned at the notion.

_No...he wouldn’t do that. He’s such a good boy._

He must not have heard her.

The canine cleared her throat and spoke again, louder this time.

“Honey, we need to get going.”

The pup’s gaze upturned away from the book as he responded with a groan.

“Can’t I just finish this page, mom?”

The mother just shook her head and began walking forwards.

“You can finish it when we get back. This is much more important, son. I’m trying to teach you how to fend for yourself.”

Brian looked back down at the book before closing it with a heavy sigh.

“Ok…”

Biscuit smiled.

“Thank you, dear.”

The young pup slid the book to the side and then stood up on all fours. He began to slowly make his way over to his mother on shaky legs.

Her smile disappeared.

“Brian...I’ve told you...you don’t have to walk like that if it’s too difficult.”

It had been made clear early on that Brian had a much easier time walking upright on two legs instead of any other way, and that was to be expected. Dogs like him… That’s just how they were. But, because the only other individual Brian knew was her, he...didn’t quite understand that. She could tell that it was difficult and confusing for her son…

_If only he had someone to lead by example. I can’t do that for him. I’m not like him._

Her breath hitched.

_I’m not like his father…_

The pup looked up at his mother, obviously trying to mask a sadness.

“But...this is how you walk…”

Biscuit forced a smile, wanting so badly to help and encourage her son.

“Yes, I know, dear, but I’ve told you before… It’s ok to be different. It just means you’re special, Brian.”

The young pup didn’t say anything to that, just looked down at his legs before continuing to walk on.

Not knowing what else to say, Biscuit simply turned around and began leading them out of the house. As they were exiting, though, Brian spoke again.

“The people in the pictures...they’re not dogs, but...it’s still easier for me to stand like them.”

The mother stopped and turned around. She knew what he was talking about. The house was full of pictures from before her time there, pictures of Luke and what she assumed must have been his friends and family. She had considered removing those pictures, but it just hadn’t felt like her place to get rid of those memories.

Those were Luke’s pictures...

But, over the course of these last few weeks, she had begun to catch Brian staring at those pictures, sometimes even standing up on two legs like the people in them. He only ever did that when he thought she wasn’t looking, but a mother had to be keen about these things.

She smiled at her son.

“And what’s wrong with that, dear?”

Brian seemed taken aback by the question, pausing for a moment to think before answering.

“Because...I’m a dog, right? Like you? Why am I so different, mom? I see the people in those pictures and… You...can’t stand like that, right? I look like you, but...I feel more...comfortable...acting like them.”

He looked down at the floor.

“Like the people in the pictures… Like the ones in...the books…”

Biscuit continued to smile, but it was hard to when she could see how much her son was struggling. She went to say something, but Brian cut her off as he looked back up at her.

“I just don’t think I’m a very good dog…and I want to be...”

Silence fell between them as Biscuit considered her next words carefully.

_Oh, Brian… You’re fine just how you are, dear._

Maintaining her warm smile, the mother finally leaned in and touched her nose to her son’s as she responded.

“All you need to be is the very best YOU that you can be, son…”

The pup’s eyes met his mom’s, and he smiled slightly.

The sight warmed Biscuit’s heart, and then, she began to lovingly lick the side of her son’s face.

Brian immediately grimaced, still chuckingly, though, as he stepped away from the contact before speaking again.

“Ok…”

He then looked back down at his feet before breathing in through his nostrils and pushing himself to stand up on his two hind legs.

He smiled.

“That’s...so much better.”

* * *

“Ugh! No! Get back here!”

The small critter escaped the pup’s grasp and began sprinting away. Brian gave chase, running on two legs for several feet before ultimately stopping. He leaned down to catch his breath, paws situated on his knees as he breathed in and out deeply. His mother was soon approaching from behind. He stood back up straight and turned around with a groan.

“Why do they always get away!”

Biscuit spat out her catch of the day and offered up a kind smile to her son.

“It’s ok, honey. It just takes time. You’ll get it.”

She motioned with her head towards her kill.

“Carry that for me. We need to start heading back to the house.”

Brian hesitated for a brief moment before finally picking up the dead animal with another groan and proceeding back towards home with his mother.

The pair walked along the grassy river’s edge in silence, both enjoying the sounds of nature, though Brian’s mind was still stuck on his latest hunting failure. By the time they were passing by the lake, he felt compelled to bring up something that had been on his mind for the last few days. His eyes remained trained forward as he started to speak.

“Mom...I’ve been thinking…”

Biscuit continued to walk as she turned to address her son.

“Thinking about what, dear?”

There was a beat of silence before he looked over at his mother and continued with his thought.

“Maybe...if it’s easier for me to walk like a human...then...I should try hunting like one, too.”

The female labrador tilted her head at her son in consideration of this observation.

_Hunting like a human?_

She wasn’t sure what to make of that. Even if that was true, she certainly had no idea how to even go about teaching Brian how to...hunt like a human. Luke had never gone hunting with her. All the hunting she had ever done had been based purely on her instinct.

But...maybe Brian knew more about that than she did.

“And how do humans hunt exactly, honey?”

The young canine just shrugged.

“I don’t know. The ones that kill in the books use...weapons and stuff… It never says their hunting, though… But...hunting is killing, right?”

The mother’s eyes went wide. She was beginning to become uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was heading.

_“You should know good and well what happens to people who refuse to know their place.”_

She shook her head sternly.

“No, Brian. It’s not like that.”

The pup’s eyes soon bore confusion.

“It’s...not?”

Biscuit shook her head again.

“No. Not at all.”

She stopped walking, prompting Brian to stop too as she looked at the dead animal in his paw.

“Killing for the sake of killing is a sin, sweetie. You know this. But, we hunt because we need other animals to survive. We hunt so that we can live. Is that what the people in your books do?”

The pup held up the animal and looked at it, a frown forming on his face.

“I...guess not…”

He huffed and then turned back towards his mother.

“Well, sometimes… I think. There are some stories where another person will kill someone who is trying to kill them. They have to kill to live, right?”

_All this talk of killing…_

Biscuit nodded and then indicated for Brian to look over at the bur oak tree off in the distance behind them.

“Have you ever wondered why there are no people out here, Brian?”

The young labrador turned to look back at the tree his mother was facing, pausing for a brief moment before answering.

“I...have…”

Biscuit turned her head back towards her son in surprise. She honestly was not expecting that response.

Brian had never brought this up to her…

…

No time to worry about that now, though.

“Because people can be dangerous, Brian.”

The pup looked back at his mother.

She continued.

“They aren’t...all bad...but the world they live in is full of corruption and sin.”

Brian nodded.

“So...they can’t come past the tree?”

Biscuit looked at her son seriously and nodded as well.

“The tree protects us from evil, so even the good ones are not allowed to come here because they have already been influenced by the evil in the world.”

The pup’s eyes opened up a little wider, a stunned expression coming over his face.

Biscuit smiled slightly but kept her tone stern as she continued.

“Not all of them can help it, either, but...that’s just how it has to be. Ok? There’s no way to know which human would intend to do us harm or not. There are awful, evil people out there, my dear, and sometimes...”

She sighed but her eyes never left her son’s.

“Yes...the bad ones have to be killed so that the good ones can live.”

Brian’s jaw dropped slightly, but no words were spoken.

The mother allowed her smile to spread as she went to reassure her son.

“But, you and me, we don’t have to worry about that. We’re safe here, Brian.”

She then proceeded to walk again, and Brian was quick to follow after her. Silence fell over them once more, but Biscuit’s mind was running rapidly as she replayed the conversation they had just had over and over again in her head. She could only hope that she had done a good enough job explaining these things to Brian. There was no need to think about such things, and the last thing she wanted was for her son to worry.

Or to become too curious…

She looked out at the body of water they were walking by.

_We’re safe by the lake._

* * *

_Ok… Maybe I’ll find something Brian can use down here._

The female labrador began to slowly make her way down the steps and into the dark room below. She hadn’t been in the basement since not long after first arriving back at the farmhouse. Neither her nor Brian saw much reason in using the room. Curious as the pup was, even he had his limits. He’d expressed a few times how scared he was of going down into the dark. Biscuit had reassured him that nothing was down there that would hurt him, but she also wasn’t going to force him to confront such an innocuous fear. If Brian didn’t have go down there, she wasn’t going to push the issue, and when she had first inspected the area all that time ago, she hadn’t come across anything of much value to them, at the time.

Things might be different, now.

She finished her descent and waited for her eyes to adjust to the dark before she started rummaging around the area.

_Now, where did I see them before…?_

She was looking for a weapon.

After her talk with Brian a few days ago, Biscuit had been wondering how she could best help her son, and as much as she didn’t like it, Brian’s point about humans using weapons had stuck with her. She didn’t want it to be that way, but if it helped Brian…

So, after her son had gone outside to play, she had decided she might as well have a look around the house for something the young pup might be able to make use of, and after not having much luck in the upper portions of the house, the thought had finally hit her that she had most definitely seen a few tools down in the basement.

Now, if she could just remember where…

_I don’t know what half this stuff even is._

Her search eventually led her all the way to the back wall where she found a wooden table that was just above her height. The canine hopped up and placed her front paws on top of the table before looking around to see what was on it. There were assorted containers, cans and buckets with items and liquids that were completely foreign to her, some of them with quite a pungent stench that made her feel a little woozy.

She gagged.

_I should probably try to clean up down here better one day. Maybe Brian could help with that when he gets older._

She looked up and saw the first familiar sight since coming down there, several guns all hanging on the wall.

_“You know what happens to people who refuse to know their place!”_

She gasped and jumped back down, her body starting to shake as she fought to pull her mind back to the present moment.

Those were human weapons. Those were definitely human weapons.

She felt moisture in her eyes, but she quickly wiped it away.

“He has no need for a weapon like that.”

It took several moments before she was able to pull herself back together. She considered calling her search a failure, but the thought of Brian continuing to struggle ended up being enough drive to push her forward as she hopped back up to take one more look around the table. Ignoring the guns above her, she began to move around some of the items with her snout, and for a while, she still wasn’t finding anything of any real interest.

But, then, behind a particularly heavy can that required a decent amount of effort to move, she saw something very promising.

_Oh! Look at that._

It was a knife.

That was it, just a simple knife. Only it was much bigger than any knife she had ever seen. Not too big for Brian to hold, though. It had a smooth, wooden handle with metal at the base and top of it, and the blade was long and very sharp looking all the way up to a pointed tip, pointed like her teeth...or claws.

She still wasn’t entirely thrilled about the idea of her son having such a thing, but it certainly looked really nice. She could picture Brian being happy to have it. The thought made her smile.

And, besides, knives were good for much more than just killing.

_I think this just might be what you need, baby._

With her mind made up, the mother leaned over and carefully grabbed the handle with her mouth before making her way back through the basement and up the stairs. After shutting the door behind her, she turned to head out of the house. She stepped outside into the warm sun and set the knife down off to the side on the porch. A quick scan of the surrounding area made it clear that Brian wasn’t anywhere close by, so she called out to him.

“Brian! Honey!?”

She waited, but no response came. So, she set off to see where her son had wandered off to, continuing to call out to him all the while.

“Brian! Could you come here for a moment, sweetheart!?”

Eventually, after calling for him several more times, she heard the pup calling back out to her off in the direction of the lake.

“Over here, mom!”

The mother quickened her pace and was soon able to make out the white shape of her son just off in the distance. As she got closer, she could see that he was sitting by the lake and had...what appeared to be a box...made out of...sticks?

Once she was close enough to speak without shouting, she addressed her son in curiosity.

“Honey, what is that?”

The young labrador set the box down on the ground and lifted up the front of it before placing something inside.

“I made a trap!”

Biscuit hummed in false understanding as her son continued.

“I read about it in a book. Humans use traps to hunt. This one seemed like an easy one to make, so I figured I’d try it out!”

The pup removed his paw from the box and stood up, a look of pride on his face as he began explaining how his contraption worked.

“You just place the food in there, and then, something comes along to try and take it. And, when they do, the front closes and traps them in there!”

He laughed, eyes shining in a way Biscuit had yet to see before, prompting her to smile. She looked away from him and back at the...trap. It was an odd little thing, and it didn’t really look all that stable. But, Brian had made it, and her son was obviously proud of it. So, she just nodded her head and chuckled warmly.

“I’m sure it’ll work splendidly, my dear.”

The pup nodded once in pure confidence, gaze wandering back down towards his device as his tail started wagging.

The mother allowed her son a few more moments to bask in his accomplishment before bringing up what she had originally come out here for, in the first place.

“Sweetie, if you’re done here, I have something for you back home.”

This immediately recaptured the younger one’s attention. His eyes shot back over to his mom as the already apparent smile on his face grew in excitement.

“You got me something!?”

The pup began bouncing lightly up and down.

Biscuit just laughed again as she turned and motioned for her son to follow.

All the way back, Brian couldn’t help but to try and guess what surprise his mother might have in store.

“What did you get me, mom!? Huh!? Huh!? Did you find something in the house!? Is it a new book!? A toy or something!? Come on! Tell me!? Tell me, mom, pleeeeeeeaaaaaase!?”

This rambling continued all the way up until the pair was by the house with Biscuit’s only responses ever being.

“You’ll see soon, dear.”

And.

“Be patient.”

Though, the smile never left her face, even if the youngster was being mildly annoying.

Soon enough, they were back on the porch where Biscuit was quick to direct her son’s attention towards the knife on the wooden floor.

The still bouncing pup looked down, and his smiling face shifted into a pensive stare. His bouncing stopped, and for a moment, he just stared at the object before looking back up at his mother.

“Is that it?”

Biscuit wasn’t sure if that was an indication of disappointment or not, so she just nodded her head while continuing to grin at the pup.

“Yes, Brian. That’s yours.”

The young labrador’s mouth opened slightly, and then, he leaned down and carefully picked up the knife by the solid handle.

Once he was holding it, Biscuit noticed that the knife looked even bigger when compared to the size of its tiny wielder, but Brian didn’t seem to have much issue with the weight.

_It’s about big enough to be a sword for him._

She laughed to herself.

_He’ll grow into it._

The pup held the knife at a distance, taking in the sight of it before finally muttering out a single word.

“Cooooooooool.”

A little while later, he lowered the blade and looked back at his mother, sincerity in his eyes.

“Thanks, mom.”

* * *

“Mom… Mom, are you awake?”

Biscuit felt tiny paws pressing into her side, causing her to groan as she reluctantly raised her heavy eyelids. After yawning, she turned to her son and spoke groggily.

“What is it, Brian? Why aren’t you asleep?”

The silhouette of the young pup sat up completely straight in the dark as bright eyes, white orbs contrasting the black of the room, met hers. There were several seconds of silence, as if Brian was figuring out what words to use before speaking clearly.

“I couldn’t sleep. I was thinking about all the stories I’ve been reading.”

The mother yawned again and sat up a little straighter herself, realizing her full attention was probably going to be needed.

“And what about them, dear?”

More silence. More of Brian choosing his words carefully before responding.

“Where do they come from? How did they get here?”

Biscuit stared at her son, taken aback a bit because, truthfully, she wasn’t sure she knew how to answer those questions. After much consideration, though, she finally answered.

“People just...have ideas, and...they write them down, Brian. And, sometimes, those ideas get put into books and shared with others.”

She paused, thinking a bit more before continuing.

“And...the really good ideas...the good stories… They get remembered and passed down for others to enjoy.”

Was that a good enough answer? She didn’t know how much detail her son was expecting, and it wasn’t like Biscuit was even all that knowledgeable on the subject, anyway.

...She’d never really been given the opportunity to read much like Brian had.

And the only stories she had intimate acquaintance with were those found in the one she cherished most of all. She’d never read any other stories either alone or with Brian, and she certainly had no clue just what all her son had been reading.

Maybe she should, though?

She’d had so much more to worry about…

“If I...wrote my ideas down...would anyone ever read them?”

The female labrador was pulled out of her private train of thought and brought back to the moment with her son. She smiled and leaned in to nuzzle the pup’s neck.

“You’ll always have me to read them, sweetie.”

* * *

“Sweetie, where are we going?”

Brian had appeared out of nowhere while she was returning from a hunt, energetic and excited, urging her to follow after him, and since she had no way of speaking with her kill firmly held by her jaw, Biscuit had done so. It wasn’t until she had been able to deposit her kill on the floor of the house that she finally got a chance to ask Brian this question as she began following him towards the staircase.

“Just follow me! I have an idea!”

And, with that, the young canine was rushing up to the second floor, leaving his mother to heave a tired but amused sigh as she walked up after him. When she saw him again, the pup was standing in the middle of the upstairs hallway and looking up at the ceiling with a big grin and wide eyes. Biscuit followed his gaze upwards until she was looking at the same thing her son was.

It was the entry to the attic, a large rectangular door with a cord dangling from the bottom, the only means of opening it.

But why was Brian so fixated on it?

As if to answer her thought, Brian began explaining.

“The attic is up there, right? What all do you think is up there? Have you ever even been up there?”

Biscuit, still unsure where all this excitement over an attic had suddenly come from, simply shook her head.

“No, honey...I’ve nev-”

“We should see what’s up there!”

The mother frowned a bit, not exactly pleased to have been cut off so rudely, but she did her best to not let any anger show as she responded calmly.

“Why do you care what’s up there, Brian?”

The pup just kept smiling as the backs of his feet began to move up and down off and then back onto the floor.

“People keep all kinds of things in their attic! There’s no telling what kinds of cool stuff might be up there! Let’s find out! Please, mom!? Will you help me!?”

Biscuit just stood there, trying her best to understand her son’s motivations here but ultimately failing miserably. And, honestly, she wasn’t even sure she wanted to know what was up in Luke’s attic…

“Please!? Please!?”

But...at the same time, she also wasn’t sure what harm there was in letting Brian find out, and it seemed like it would just be easier to indulge his curiosity than to try and explain why he shouldn’t go up there.

How was he even going to get up there, anyway?

That certainly seemed like the most pressing matter, now that she thought about it…

Brian was still begging her to help, so she had to interject between one of his pleas in order to be heard.

“How am I supposed to help you, dear?”

The pup’s grin grew as he realized he might actually be getting what he wanted.

“Well, I think...that…”

There was a moment’s hesitation before he finished.

“Well, I think I can reach that rope if I stand on you.”

The mother quirked an eyebrow as she replied blandly.

“Stand on me?”

Brian nodded.

“Mmhmm. Yeah. If I just stand on your back, and maybe if you...try and stand up...like me...for a little while, I think I can reach it and pull the door down.”

_Like you?_

Biscuit felt like she was finally beginning to see just what all Brian was scheming here, and it really did seem like more trouble than it was worth. Did Brian really think he’d be able to reach that high? She stopped to consider whether or not this endeavour was even possible, looking at her son and seeing just how much space there was between him and the dangling rope. A thought hit her in that moment, though, as she realized there was less space there than she had been anticipating.

_Wow. He’s really grown a lot in the last few months._

How long had they been there?

Biscuit certainly had made an attempt to keep track of time in the first several weeks, but eventually, she couldn’t help but to just let the days start blending together with only the seasons as any real indication of just how much time was passing. She figured they were in the late days of summer, now, so that meant they must have been living at the farmhouse for about five months, she figured.

She’d never gotten to see any of her young beyond the first couple weeks… And here Brian was, somewhere around five months old, and he was already walking and talking and exploring, already a good bit bigger than he’d been upon first entering this world. The realization made her stop and take a moment to appreciate how wonderful that really was.

He was growing.

And he was safe.

She smiled and walked over close to Brian before kneeling down.

“Ok, then. Hop on.”

The young canine wasted no time before climbing up onto his mother’s back, laughing in glee as she stood back up.

“Hold on, now.”

The pup secured his arms around his mother’s neck as she began to carefully stand up on her hind legs. Once she was all the way up, Brian set to work quickly climbing up and towards the rope.

Biscuit had to fight to keep her balance, legs shaking and eventually causing her whole body to shake so that, by the time Brian was standing up on her shoulders, you could clearly hear her rosary rattling due to the vibrations. She grunted.

“You almost got it?”

The young pup gulped, still slowly standing up as he struggled to keep his own balance on top of his shaking mother.

“Yeah, almost…”

Biscuit wanted to look up but she feared what would happen should she move too much, so her gaze remained locked straight ahead.

“You be careful up there, honey.”

Brian’s response was a single firm nod.

“I am.”

He was at a complete standing position now and reaching for the rope. His arm extending as far as he could reach so that his fingers were just barely able to graze the rope. He wasn’t high enough to actually grab it, though, prompting him to whine as he muttered under his breath.

“Come on. So...close…”

Biscuit heard this and began to fear that she wouldn’t be able to keep standing like this for too much longer.

“Brian, if you can’t reach...you should probably just climb down.”

The determined pup just shook his head.

“I can reach it. I’m right there.”

The mother’s legs almost gave out right then, but she managed to stabilize herself before collapsing. This was a clear indication to her that it was time to put a stop to this, though.

“Ok. That’s enough. Climb down. Now.”

Brian groaned in irritation, fingers still touching the rope, still trying to extend his reach those last couple inches.

Biscuit could feel her legs beginning to burn, at this point. She couldn’t take much more.

Why was Brian doing this to her?

“Get down! Now!”

The pup could tell he was out of time. This didn’t mean he was ready to give up, though.

He took a deep breath.

“Ok.”

He squatted.

“I’m coming down…”

And then he leapt up into the air, leaving his mother to fall back on all fours as her head shot up in panic.

“Brian!”

She feared that she would then see her dear son falling back to the cold, hard floor.

That’s not what she saw.

While she did see him still up in the air, thankfully, Brian wasn’t falling. No, to her surprise, her child was hanging up there in the air, paws firmly grasping at the rope. He was wearing a smile that she wouldn’t hesitate to call triumphant as he shouted out in victory.

“Yes!”

He looked back down at his mother and laughed.

“I did it!”

Biscuit’s moment of relief passed. Brian hadn’t fallen yet, but he also wasn’t safe on the ground with her. She smiled back up at him, albeit with obvious worry etched into her features.

“Yes, you did. Very good, son. Now, how are you going to get down?”

The pup didn’t seem troubled in the slightest. He also offered up no response before he started tugging on the rope, violently bouncing his body up and down as he tried to get the door in the ceiling to budge. It didn’t take long before it started moving, slowly drifting lower and lower.

Biscuit saw this and took several steps back in preparation for the door to open.

A few more tugs later, the door gave way completely, falling all the way open and sending a ladder down to the floor with a loud banging that caused Biscuit to jump in surprise.

Brian just laughed.

“Whoooo!”

And he continued to laugh as he grabbed onto the ladder and proceeded up into the attic.

Biscuit meanwhile was still recovering from her scare, still trying to process all the quick events that had just occurred in sequence. It took her a little while to even realize that Brian had scampered off without her.

_That...child…_

She sighed in slight exhaustion and then called up to her son.

“Brian! Are you ok up there!?”

Not a moment later, Brian’s head was peeking out from the side of the attic’s entrance.

“Mom! There’s so many boxes up here! You gotta see this!”

_Yeah… You seem fine._

The young canine had disappeared immediately after saying this, leaving Biscuit to sigh again as she walked up to the ladder. She scanned the length of it, taking note of how steep it looked. She frowned and hopped up to begin climbing.

It only took a few steps before she was feeling uncomfortable and losing her balance, causing her to jump off and back down to the floor.

She shook her head and then called back up to her son.

“I don’t think I can make it up there, dear!”

It took Brian longer to respond this time, but eventually, his face was visible again as he looked down at his mother. A slight frown was on his face.

“Oh…”

Mother and son just looked at each other for several moments before he spoke up again.

“Well...I’ll be careful. Promise! I just wanna have a look around. Ok?”

There was a hopeful look in her son’s eyes that momentarily distracted her from the concerns she had. He was already up there, anyway. What was the harm in letting him see this thing through, at this point? With that in mind, Biscuit huffed through her nostrils before giving her approval.

“Ok. Just be careful.”

Brian’s frown immediately disappeared as did he, so Biscuit yelled out the rest of what she had intended to say to ensure he heard her.

“I’ll be right down here if you need me! Don’t be too long!”

With that, she went to find a comfortable spot where she could lie down and wait for her son to descend from the attic.

The following extended length of time consisted of not much else besides listening to the rummaging coming from the attic and occasionally calling up to check on Brian who always assured her he was fine. She had no idea how long her son was up there for, but she never let down her guard as she listened to what little she could make out of her son talking to himself.

“Oh, wow!”

“What is that thing!?”

“Neat!”

“Ooooooo! Will these fit!?”

“Cool!”

“Hey! That looks useful!”

“Awesome! I needed something like that!”

“Not bad! Not bad at all!”

This went on and on, and Biscuit just remained in her same spot, steadily growing more and more curious as to what all Brian was finding up there. The pup seemed way too excited, but if he was having fun…

It had been a really long time, now, though…

“Dear, are you almost done up there!?”

For the first time in a while, Brian’s head reappeared, his eyes were absolutely gleaming in delight.

“Yeah! Almost. I just gotta do something…”

He looked away for a second, obviously thinking about something before he finished.

“Could you go downstairs? I wanna surprise you with something.”

And, then, he was gone again.

Biscuit tilted her head at this request but ultimately shrugged before turning to walk down the stairs, figuring Brian had been fine, so far, and it wasn’t like she wouldn’t be able to hear the pup calling out to her from the bottom of the stairs or anything. So, she made her back down to the first floor and then stood there waiting for her son to come join her again finally.

It wasn’t much longer before she heard Brian calling out to her from upstairs.

“Ok! You ready?”

_Ready for what?_

Biscuit didn’t know what was even really going on, but she allowed a chuckle to escape her as she answered back.

“I’m ready, Brian. Come on down.”

An instant later, the pup was rounding the corner and making his way down the stairs.

Biscuit’s eyes widened, and she let out an audible gasp as she took a step back. She had not been prepared to see this. She had not been ready.

Brian was smiling big as could be as he walked all the way down the stairs. He stopped in front of his mother and just stood there, eyes still shimmering.

“What do you think? It actually fit!”

For a while, Biscuit couldn’t quite speak even as her mouth involuntarily fell open. She just looked at her son, taking in the sight of him.

How had he found clothes that would fit? Why did he even want to try them on in the first place!?

The only other dog she had ever seen wearing clothes at all had been…

“Mom?”

The female labrador snapped out of her head and refocused on her son who’s smile had fallen slightly.

“Is everything...ok?”

_Oh, no…_

He looked concerned. But, Brian didn’t have any reason to be concerned. He didn’t need to know what memories were being conjured into her brain due to seeing him like this.

It’s not his fault… He’s not like him.

She needed to pull herself together.

So, she did.

The female canine cleared her throat and quickly composed herself before forcing a smile of her own.

“Yes, honey. Everything is fine.”

There was an awkward beat before she continued.

“I just didn’t expect you to…”

She laughed nervously.

“This is quite the surprise!”

Another laugh as she gave her son a fair look-over. The young pup was wearing a wrinkled white collared shirt with an aged and dull-colored vest over it that was secured by two rather large buttons. Below that, he had put on a dark-colored pair of pants, and on those, he had a belt where a knife holster had been attached. As she allowed herself to accept the new look, she couldn’t help but be struck by the idea that her son looked like someone right out of another time in that outfit. In that sense, he at least looked quite different from his father, and that all made quite a bit of sense. She had to figure the clothes Brian had managed to find were quite old if they had belonged to a child before, and they most likely had if they fit Brian so well.

_Huh… Maybe they used to be Luke’s._

She didn’t think much more on that idea, though. All in all, the more she looked at her son, who was so obviously excited but worried that she would disapprove of his new accessories, the more she couldn’t help but feel the look suited Brian in some sort of odd way. The smile on her face grew genuine and kind.

“You look adorable, dear.”

Brian’s apprehension immediately vanished.

“Really!? You like it?”

She did. To her own surprise, despite the initial shock, she liked this look on Brian.

_It’s missing something, though…_

Something possessed her, then, whether it was some need to make her own contribution to Brian’s outfit or something else beyond that she wasn’t sure, but without another word, she had turned around and began walking over to their bed of blankets on the floor. She began rummaging through them and soon found a piece of cloth that had been hiding under one of the blankets. It was the cloth with the tree, the one she had taken with her when they had made their escape.

The one that had belonged to Brian’s father…

But...it was something more, now. At night, Biscuit would still sometimes catch her son clutching that fabric as if by instinct. It was a comfort to him, and in a way, that was beautiful to her to know that something that had been so absolutely associated with atrocities and horror could become so completely transformed by the right person.

She had her rosary.

And Brian had this armband.

She picked it up with her mouth and then walked back over to her son who was watching her with curious eyes as she offered it to him.

“My...blanket?”

The pup took it from her and then rolled his eyes.

“What’s this for? I don’t need a safety blanket anymore, mom. I’m not a baby.”

Biscuit had to fight to keep from rolling her own eyes.

“It wasn’t a blanket originally, sweetie.”

She pointed at her son’s right arm with her snout.

“You wear it on your arm.”

One of the pup’s eyebrows rose as he looked at the worn piece of fabric.

“My...arm?”

Biscuit nodded.

“Here.”

She raised a paw and motioned for Brian to place the cloth over his arm.

“I’ll show you.”

The young canine did as instructed and then allowed his mother to instruct him further on just how to tie the piece of fabric securely around his arm. It took a little effort since Brian only had one paw to work with while Biscuit could only help by holding the cloth in place with her mouth, but eventually, they had succeeded in attaching it around the pup’s arm. The last step was for Biscuit to make a few more adjustments, making sure the fabric wasn’t too bunched up or that the tree on it wasn’t concealed. By the time she was done, it almost looked like the band was just a part of the shirt Brian had found, and the image on it was being displayed clearly just a couple inches below the pup’s shoulder. She stepped back and admired her contribution.

“There we go. What do you think?”

Brian held his arm up and looked band on his arm.

He smiled.

“Hey! That actually looks kind of neat!”

He gazed at the accessory for a few more moments before rushing over and wrapping his arms tightly around Biscuit’s neck in a very tight hug. The mother hummed happily and lifted a front leg up to drape over her son’s shoulder so that she could pull him in closer.

“I’m glad you like it, dear.”

The pup gave her one last firm squeeze before releasing her and rushing away.

Biscuit turned to follow him, but the child was moving so fast that she was only just barely able to catch him grabbing his knife from off of a table and securing it in his new holster before she saw him sprinting out the door.

The mother sighed happily and went to lie down outside on the porch.

_He’s such a good boy._

She shut her eyes and took in the warmth of the summer sun.

_And he always will be._

* * *

_He’s such a clever boy._

Biscuit watched in mild awe as her and Brian continued to make their way along the river. For the last few weeks, Brian had continued building and setting his traps out here, and to her slight surprise, they had actually worked very well. His trapping method was probably even more efficient than her usual hunting techniques. He’d secured several kills just today, and she had been having more and more trouble finding prey as the Summer was coming to an end and bringing in the colder weather.

He was practically providing for them by himself, at this point.

She was proud of him, and she hoped that pride was showing in her expression as she watched the pup rush over to another trap that had successfully caught a small rabbit. She watched as Brian took out his knife and thrust it in between a small space in the trap. She watched as it pierced the rabbit and as the critter fell over dead. And, she watched as the young canine then wiped his blade on the grass before reholstering it and retrieving his kill from the box.

Quick.

Painless.

Easy.

They continued on their way, Biscuit smiling all the while.

_Very good, dear._

* * *

From there, for a while, everything felt like it was going so smoothly. Their days were spent in happiness and comfort, both doing what they could to take care of the other. But, just as equilibrium had seemed to be reached, Biscuit couldn’t help but start to notice some pretty alarming signs. Summer had left, and now, fall was here. That in and of itself wasn’t much of an issue. Yes, Biscuit was beginning to see less and less prey, but Brian’s traps were still working. However, the mother couldn’t help but wonder just how long that could possibly last for. No matter how much she wanted it to, time stood still for no one, and she knew what was fast approaching. She could feel it in the air. Day by day, the temperature was dropping, the wildlife was diminishing.

Nature was dying all around them.

Even Brian, in his own way, could sense it. She wasn’t sure to what extent he understood the changing of the seasons, but she could tell that he was noticing the same things she was. She saw it in the way he would go outside and start shivering. She saw it in the way he would look out to the tree whose leaves were quickly changing before falling to the earth. And, she especially saw it in the way he would look so frustrated on the few occasions he would check his traps only to find nothing.

It was angering the pup to see these changes.

And it was scaring her.

Because she knew what was coming. Every day without a meal, brought her right back to when she was a puppy, cold and starving in the same house after Luke had…

She couldn’t go through that again, and she most definitely wouldn’t put her son through it!

Because he was supposed to be safe here.

THEY were supposed to be safe here.

But winter was fast approaching, and the more she thought about it, the more hopeless their circumstances seemed to be. They’d never survive without food, and food was becoming harder and harder to come by.

There was one place she could get it, though…

_“Always keep ‘em comin’ back!”_

The thought stopped her heart dead, caused her breathing to become uneven and strained. It brought nothing but intense panic.

But...her son…

She could hear his stomach rumbling in her head, hear his whimpers.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t catch anything today, mom.”

_“They always come back.”_

_No…_

“I’m sure the traps will have something tomorrow…”

_“One night with her will make you feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven!”_

_I...got away…_

“Here, take another blanket. You’re shaking.”

_“What are you shaking for? I won’t hurt ya, doll.”_

_WE...got...away…_

“Hey, mom, there’s white stuff falling from the sky!”

_“Terri!”_

_I CAN’T!!!!!!_

* * *

“Grrrrrrrrraaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!”

The mother screamed as loud as she could into the pillow. It was late at night, and Brian was downstairs asleep after having, once again, gone to bed without dinner. As soon as she had gotten a chance, she ran up the stairs into Luke’s old room and locked the door. She just needed a moment to herself, needed some space as she processed the absolute terror she was feeling. It had now been three days since they had last eaten, and things were only going to get worse. She knew that, and she also knew that something was going to have to be done if her son was going to have any hope of surviving.

Why had it taken her so long to see the inevitable?

From the moment her and Brian had arrived here, some part of her had known that this moment was coming. She could have prepared!

But, no…

The female labrador began crying loudly, tears falling and soaking into the pillow.

“I was so scared… I didn’t want to think about…”

Well, she had to think about it now, had to think about it quickly.

Because time was running out. Time was up, and deep down in the pit of her chest she KNEW what their only hope was.

_“Touch.”_

She didn’t want to believe it.

_“Taste.”_

But the only course of action here was obvious.

_“Feel”_

She had to go back.

_“Two times.”_

And just pray that she would be able to work something out with him.

_“The Dime.”_

She continued to cry, though, airing out all her grief until all she could do was whimper and shudder there on the bed, uttering one last sentence before she finally fell into sleep.

“It should have burned…”

* * *

Action was taken the following day.

“Brian…”

Biscuit was only just barely able to get the name out as she addressed her son from the doorway. The pup was in the living room and reading, and her voice did not seem to capture his attention in the same way that the prose he was currently engrossed in had.

She cleared her throat and forced herself to speak louder.

“Brian.”

The young canine kept reading for a moment longer before finally looking up.

“I’m almost done. Can we go out after I finish?”

He smiled at her, and it took everything in Biscuit to keep from breaking down and crying again right there in front of her son.

She managed not to, though. She had to stay strong for Brian, of course.

_Everything for Brian…_

She shook her head and began taking steps towards the pup.

“You don’t have to go anywhere, sweetie. I just need to tell you something…”

The young pup tilted his head and then shut the book he had been so caught up in.

“Is everything alright?”

_Not at all._

“Everything is fine, dear, but…”

She was standing next to her son now, looking down at his sweet and concerned face, a sight that only made this all the harder.

“I’m going to be going away for a little while.”

The concern on the pup’s face was immediately replaced by fear as he shot up to his feet, sending his book flying off of his lap and onto the floor.

“Huh? What do you mean? Going where!?”

_I’m so sorry, baby…_

She felt moisture in her eyes and tried to quickly blink it away as she did her best to explain calmly.

“Mommy just needs to go somewhere where she can get food for us, dear. You don’t have to worry.”

This didn’t seem to reassure Brian too much. He was still looking as frightened as before only now there was...maybe some anger in those eyes, as well.

It stung the mother to see it.

“Well, we should both go, then!”

_Absolutely not!_

She shook her head violently and shot the young canine a stern look.

“You’re staying here, Brian. You can NOT come with me.”

The young labrador crossed his arms in defiance.

“But!”

She leaned down and placed her nose against her son’s, looking him right in the eyes so that he might understand how serious she was being.

“Do not...argue with me, son.”

She was screaming on the inside, a complete juxtaposition to her strong and fierce exterior.

_Please don’t make this any harder than it already is, Brian!_

The pup’s arms dropped, and the rebellious look in his eyes gave way to pure sadness.

Biscuit leaned away as she saw tears forming in the young one’s eyes.

“Why are you leaving me!? How long will you be gone!?”

She couldn’t fight it anymore, a tear finally escaped and drifted down her cheek.

_Oh, honey… I wish I knew…_

“I won’t be gone long. I promise.”

Her voice cracked as she made the oath, so she turned her head away, hiding her face from Brian as she fought to pull herself back together before she turned back to look at him.

“I’m going to need you to promise me that you won’t get up to any nonsense while I’m gone. I need you to stay safe.”

Brian sniffled and wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeve before responding.

“I know how…”

He whimpered, lip quivering as he choked the last words out.

“...to take care of myself…”

She couldn’t bear seeing her son so upset, but she also knew that he spoke the truth.

_You’ve come so far, dear…_

She smiled, still fighting back tears as she nodded.

“I know you do, baby.”

Her own lip began to quiver.

“I’m so…”

The pup rushed up to hug her.

And then she broke.

“...proud of you!”

It came out in a loud sob as she buried her face into her son’s shoulder, wetting the fabric of his shirt as she allowed herself a moment to express the pain she was feeling in the moment, and for the next several seconds...minutes...mother and son just held onto each other, neither wanting the embrace to end.

Eventually, it had to, though, and Biscuit, the one who had to remain strong, was the first one to pull away. The female labrador took a breath to regain her strength. She looked at her son. He was just standing there, head drooping towards the floor.

She couldn’t leave him like that.

“Hey…”

She placed her paw under the pup’s chin and lifted his head up to look back at her as she spoke to him.

“I won’t be gone long, and I know you’ll be ok.”

Brian’s eyes diverted for a moment, but then, he simply nodded his head.

Biscuit smiled and then placed her paw on the hilt of the knife at the pup’s hip.

“Never hesitate to use this if you need to, dear. I gave it to you to help you fend for us, but it can also help protect you when I’m not around”

Brian looked down at his knife and nodded again.

“I...won’t…”

The mother huffed, pleased and sure that her son would take her words to heart.

“Follow me, Brian.”

She turned and the pup followed her out of the house and onto the porch. It was chilly out, but the snow that was currently falling was not sticking as it melted into the earth. A harsh wind blew, and soon, Brian was up next to his mother in an attempt to stay warm.

_It’s only going to get worse._

“Brian, you know the boundaries of our home. What are they?”

The shivering pup took a deep breath and then began to answer his mother.

“Never go past the big tree by the lake.”

Biscuit nodded as her gaze overlooked the land.

“The tree will keep you safe so long as you never go past it. Never go into the woods. There are dangers there that you are not ready for. Never follow the river or the road away from this place, always keep it within viewing distance. Never leave our home here by the lake, son, and you will be perfectly fine until I return.”

She then looked down at her son who was already looking up at her, body still buried as far as it could be in her fur.

His eyes shimmered with respect and understanding.

“Yes, ma’am… I won’t leave. Promise.”

They were the words she knew she needed to hear before leaving.

What more was there to say?

The emotions were bubbling up to the surface again, but Biscuit held them down as she turned and began lapping at the side of her son’s face. Brian leaned into her show of affection and whimpered.

She couldn’t help but to whimper a little herself as she reluctantly brought this moment to an end.

“I love you, Brian. I’ll be back soon.”

There was no sense in dragging this out any longer. The last sensation she registered were the taste of tears before she pulled away and began walking away from the pup whose small, scared voice she could just barely hear over the howling wind.

“I love you, too, mom!”

No longer having to worry about keeping up a tough front for her child, the mother finally allowed her own tears to fall freely, and they continued to fall as she proceeded further and further away one step at a time.

_I’ll be back soon, baby…_

That was what she wanted to believe, needed to believe, but deep down she knew what the truth was. She had no clue what was going to happen. She had no idea if her former employer would be willing to work with her at all. She had no way of knowing for sure if she ever would really be back. It scared her to death to imagine what the worst case scenario of this choice she was making could possibly end up being. She did know one thing for sure, though.

A small chance for survival was better than no chance at all, and that was the primary thought that kept her feet moving further and further away from safety...from home.

* * *

Quahog.

She arrived there after a few days journey. The city was far from a welcome sight, but in the light of day, it was certainly a familiar one. The city was bustling with the activity of its citizens, most of whom paid her very little mind to her outside of the occasional passing glance. It was all very typical from what she could remember, but there was definitely a strange air about the whole town. Of course, that was probably just due to her own experiences, but something most assuredly felt...off. Some of the looks she got from the citizens seemed to last a little too long, like they knew something they weren’t quite willing to voice out in public. Knowing whose clutches held this entire town, that did not surprise her.

Did some of them recognize her?

She knew for a fact that at least a few of them would see the necklace around her neck and know what that probably meant, but luckily, if they did, they never let her know. Not one of the citizens made a move to approach her as she wandered the streets.

It wouldn’t take much for a stranger to become lost in the densely packed town. That’s what had happened to her when she had first come here, but this time, she had a very clear destination in mind.

And that destination just happened to be the most visible building in town.

The church towered over everything. It could be seen from pretty much anywhere in the city, its two large steeples an intimidating presence. There was a single window in each one, two large eyes that she could feel burning into her as she drew nearer and nearer. Two large eyes that kept watch, that knew about everything and everyone.

And she was about to go see the very person those eyes belonged to.

She was terrified, but her face was devoid of emotion. She couldn’t show weakness. She wouldn’t. That was the resolve she felt as she came to the stairs of the church and began to ascend them, passing by a stone sign that bore the church’s name and year of founding as she walked.

**St. Mary’s Church of the Immaculate Conception**

**Est. 1878**

The canine glanced over the sign, remembering how hopeful she had felt when she had first come across this place, but her thoughts of the past were soon disrupted.

In fact, she hadn’t even made it all the way up the stairs when a stunned but familiar voice, a voice that stirred her stomach in the most grotesque way, called out to her.

It was Tuck.

“Terri!?”

She flinched ever so slightly.

That name… She hated that name so much.

But that’s who she was here.

_Hello, Quahog. Ms. Terri has returned._

She suddenly felt someone grabbing her by the scruff of her neck and pulling her forward, into the church. She didn’t fight back. Instead, she just looked up and allowed herself a single grimace as she saw the man who had tormented her for so long once again taking control and leading her through the building, past the pews and down the aisles. He looked just as disgusting as ever. The only difference she could discern in his appearance now from when she had last seen him was a very visible and large scar on his neck.

She smiled knowingly as she kept her eyes on that scar.

He may have survived their previous encounter, but he would bear the mark of that struggle for the rest of his days.

She chuckled at the thought, albeit quietly to herself.

It was funny.

Her moment of mirth was brief, though, as she then saw just where Tuck was dragging her. The man snickered and looked back at her.

“Been awhile since your last confession. ‘Ey, ole girl?”

She didn’t say anything, did nothing more than offer up a stoic but knowing gaze as Tuck dragged her over to the confessional. He opened the door and threw her inside, and in the darkness, she could hear him locking her in.

She didn’t know what would come next. She wanted to shake in terror. It was happening. It was really happening.

_I’m actually back here…_

The urge to fall apart was a strong one, but she somehow kept up her composure as she sat down and awaited whatever was to come next. She shut her eyes. They didn’t do her much good in the dark, anyway.

_I love you, Brian._

And, then, she felt a presence suddenly materialize in the area next to her. The temperature in the booth seemed to drop as the source of the presence began speaking to her.

“What brings you here, my child?”

That was him. That was the devil’s voice coming from just off to the side of her. She steeled herself and then responded calmly.

“There’s no need for the act, Quagmire. We both know you’re no servant of the Lord.”

The man in the area next to her laughed, dropping all pretense of reverence.

“I have papers that say otherwise, but if that’s how you want to handle this…”

She could practically see the smile on his face disappearing as he spoke to her again in a much more sinister tone.

“What the fuck are you doing back here, Terri?”

_Ah. There you are._

“As you know...Winter is here, and I’m afraid I’ve overestimated my ability to weather the season. It’s gotten tough out there, so...I’ve come here to see if...we can work something out.”

She tried to keep any trace of fear or worry out of her words, but it was hard to tell whether or not she was being successful when the next thing she heard was her former employer laughing in the most derisive way she’d probably ever heard. The laughter went on for quite some time before she finally heard an actual response.

“Ha! You know, I figured you would probably just run out there and die, anyway. We both remember how helpless you were when I first found you, so I just KNEW you’d either end up dead or crawling back to me, one or the other. Guess the prodigal mutt has found her way back home, after all.”

_This...is not my home…_

“Alright, so what? You’re just expecting to waltz back in here as if nothing happened? You think things can just go right back to how they used to be?”

Biscuit went to answer those questions.

“No, I-”

But she was quickly cut off by the man who was obviously far from concerned with what she wanted to say.

“Because that would be quite the foolish thing to assume. You broke my heart, Terri! I took you in! I gave you a home, shelter, food! You were nothing before you met me, and all I asked for in return was for you to perform a job. It wasn’t even a hard job! Most of the time all you had to do was just lie there! Doesn’t get much easier than that!”

He laughed again, this time a light chuckle to top off his rant. His sarcasm was scathing and painful. She wanted to say something, wanted to point out that she had been manipulated and taken advantage of!

_You never gave me a choice!_

How dare he! How dare he even pretend that he had done her some great service by USING her! How could anyone be so vile!?

She wanted to say something, wanted to put this awful man in his place!

...But that’s not what she came here to do. Instead, she did her best to fight back the anger, swallowing her pride as she gave him her response.

“I’m assuming no such thing, Quagmire. I’ve come to negotiate a new arrangement.”

She heard what sounded like shuffling before the man spoke again.

“Well then, go ahead. What’s the arrangement?”

She could have sworn she felt his breath on her ear, and that feeling caused her body to shake a bit as she answered him.

“I don’t want to be trapped here again. I have made a nice home elsewhere, and I would like to continue my life out there. I have simply come here to offer my services in exchange for food and maybe a few supplies, and my hope is that this can become an on-going situation.”

It amazed her just how confident she sounded to her own ears…

“I serve. You provide. That is what I am proposing.”

Silence fell in the booth, and it wasn’t until after Biscuit heard a scoff that Quagmire finally spoke again.

“And just why would I do that, Terri? Really, now. You know good and well that I could just take you and lock you up again, and there wouldn’t be a damn thing you could do about it.”

_Oh, there is one thing I can do!_

“If you lock me up, Quagmire, it will be for nothing because I will do nothing but fight anyone who comes within feet of me! I am not your slave, anymore! So, you have two options here. Either you can agree to my proposal, or…”

She didn’t want to say what the other option was, but she had to make it clear to this man just how serious she was about this. Her heart began beating rapidly, but she remained composed as she finished her sentence in the most casual tone she could manage.

“...You’ll just have to kill me.”

_Oh, God, give me the words necessary to make this work!_

“But, I have a feeling you won’t do that because I know you, Glenn, and you are not the type to turn down an opportunity. I think you would much rather take my offer than to lose any chance of ever having my services on offer to your clientele again.”

That was it. That was all she had. This would be the biggest gambit she would ever make, and she was praying that Quagmire would see sense and…

...let her live.

The booth then grew quiet for a very long time, the only sounds coming from the quick beating of her heart and the occasional shaky breath. Her body was absolutely vibrating as she came to terms with the fact that there was a possibility that she would not be living in this world for much longer.

_Lord, I offer this up into your hands…_

She heard a door open and then felt it as Quagmire’s presence left the booth. She opened her eyes and awaited her fate.

The door was being unlocked.

It opened.

The light from the church flooded the area.

Her eyes squinted as they adjusted to the new lighting.

And, then, she saw him, the priest, Quagmire with the attire of a Father and a Bible over his chest. He was wearing a mildly annoyed expression as he spoke sternly to her.

“Follow me, Terri.”

And she did.

The idea of bolting right out of the church only crossed her mind for a moment. In spite of how scared she was, she knew she had to follow him.

So, she did.

She followed him into the office at the back of the church, into the secret room she knew so well, the one behind the bookcase. She followed him down the stairs into the catacombs that were under the church. She followed him through the dark, musty tunnels as they made their way through the route she could still follow blindly. She followed him all the way to the end and up the stairs that were found there. She followed him through the room those stairs led to.

She followed him into The Dime, which she knew to be situated behind the church on the opposite end of the block, two buildings with a hidden connection.

Well, it was more like the office of The Dime, similar to the one in the church. They stopped for a moment in that room as Quagmire set his Bible down on the desk there before grabbing a coat that was hanging on the wall. He pulled the coat over his priest robe, and then, he chose from a selection of animal masks on the same wall.

He chose a lion mask and put it on.

They then proceeded out of the room and into The Dime proper. It was in the middle of the day, so she wasn’t surprised to see the establishment pretty much dead. But that didn’t stop all the memories of her time spent trapped there from flashing before her eyes as she made her way past all the familiar locations.

There was the hallway that led to the catacombs.

There was the main showroom and bar where all the patrons would drink and watch the girls perform on stage.

There were several rooms for the workers, some occupied which she had remembered being empty and some empty which she had remembered being occupied.

Things were always changing around here…except for the one thing that desperately NEEDED to change.

It soon became apparent that they were heading towards one of those very rooms, and then, it hit Biscuit just which room she was being taken to.

_Wait… What…?_

They reached the door.

And the pimp opened it.

What Biscuit saw beyond that door caused her eyes to grow wide in horror as her calm demeanor finally collapsed. Sitting on the bed in the room was a frightened-looking woman donned in a loose red dress, a woman who Biscuit had used to know, and right next to her, holding her arm much too tightly, was Tuck, that filthy old man, with an absolutely sickening smile that showed off his few still intact teeth.

Even with the mask in the way, Biscuit could tell that the pimp was smirking just from the way he was hovering over her.

She knew that face all too well...

“Remember her?”

She gasped and nodded her head, trying so hard but ultimately failing to pull herself back together.

She didn’t know what to say, so Quagmire spoke for her.

“I had a feeling you would. Because, you see, Terri. I’ve had reason to suspect for a while that Ms. Cuse here actually helped you escape all those months ago.”

The canine gulped.

The man continued.

“Now, I would never take action without proof of such treachery. I need all the girls I can get! But we don’t tolerate that behavior around here, and now, I can find out for sure what happened that night.”

Biscuit looked at the terrified woman. Their eyes met, and the female labrador’s heart sank.

_I’m so sorry I got you caught up in this…_

“So, I’m going to ask you about this once, Terri, and here is what’s going to happen. You tell me the truth, and I will gladly accept your proposal. Lie to me, though…”

There was a pause during which the only sound was Tuck’s horrid laughter.

“...and I will be left with no choice but to do to you what I do to those I can no longer trust.”

Tuck’s smile grew, and Biscuit could see his grip on Ms. Cuse tighten.

“So, go ahead! Give your answer, but believe me when I say that I will know whether or not you’re lying.”

More laughter from Tuck as he added to the conversation.

“Yes, he will! The Father knows when someun isn’t being truthful with ‘em!”

Quagmire just nodded, holding up a hand to silence the man as he spoke to Biscuit again.

“Terri, did Ms. Cuse help you escape from here?”

Biscuit frowned, pulling her attention away from the captured woman and redirecting it towards her captor.

He had her trapped.

It was all that she could think as she began to take deep breaths in and out. She had to tell Quagmire the truth, tell him that this woman had indeed assisted in her escape.

_But, he’ll kill her!_

Her body shuddered. She couldn’t bear the thought of being even somewhat responsible for this poor woman’s death. What a sick game this all was! Quagmire obviously knew the truth! Had he simply kept this woman around on the off chance that they ever met again!? How could anyone be so cruel! She wanted no part in this!

...But she knew what would happen if she lied…

If she tried in vain to protect this woman, then Quagmire would simply do away with the both of them, and that would be it. She’d never return to Brian! Her poor son would die all alone in that house, cold and hungry!

“She did! I asked her to leave the window open for me that night, and she did!”

_What have I done!?_

Everyone went still accept for Ms. Cuse who immediately began to sob and struggle to pull her arm free. It was no use. Tuck’s grip was too strong.

It wasn’t like there was anywhere where she could run, anyway.

Quagmire lifted his mask and shot a sarcastic smile down at Biscuit.

“Thank you for being honest, my child.”

He then turned to Tuck and pointed at his captive before speaking coldly.

“You know what to do, Tuck.”

What happened next was too much for Biscuit to process. She watched with bile in her throat as Tuck proceeded to drag the crying woman away from them. For a brief moment, the canine’s eyes met the woman’s, and she heard her start shouting.

“YOU DID THIS TO ME! I HELPED YOU, AND THEN YOU DID THIS TO ME! HOW COULD YOU!?”

Biscuit had nothing to say. She just looked away as tears formed in her eyes, ears ringing from the intense cries directed her way.

_I’m sorry! I can’t let him die! I’m his mother!_

She shut her eyes and didn’t open them again until the screams had long faded away down the hall, a voice that would never be heard in this world again.

The weight of what had just happened remained with her, though, as she looked back at Quagmire, sad and defeated.

The man just shrugged, not a trace of sympathy in him.

He truly was The Devil.

“What are you so upset about? I’m the one losing a good worker here. You should realize how lucky you are. She’s disposable, but you…”

He rolled his eyes.

“I have some pretty sick fucks in my congregation, and I know a good money making opportunity when I see one. I can think of quite a few people who will be thrilled to know you’re back. So…”

The pimp smiled at her sinisterly, and the scared canine shrank back into herself as he hissed at her.

“Congratulations. You win. Welcome back, Ms. Terri.”

* * *

Brian was sitting bundled up in the entryway of the house, trying to focus on his book. It wasn’t that he wasn’t enjoying the story or anything, but it had been several days now since he had last seen his mother. Luckily, he had managed to catch some prey during that time, so he wasn’t really starving. But, he was cold and worried. He had no idea where she was, but he kept reminding himself that she had promised to come back.

_Mom, wouldn’t lie to me…_

It was something he kept telling himself as he continued to read down the pages in order to distract himself.

A much better distraction soon made itself known, though.

“Brian? Are you in there, sweetie?”

The pup’s attention immediately went to the front door.

“Mom!?”

He almost couldn’t believe what he had heard. Her arrival had happened so suddenly, and he was afraid that he might have just been hearing what he wanted to.

The fear was soon demolished.

“Brian! Oh, dear! It’s so good to hear you! Open the door for me!”

“MOM!”

The young canine set his book down on the ground and tore himself out of the bundle of blankets before bolting over to the front door of the house and throwing it open recklessly, causing the doorknob to smack into the wall as he blindly reached out to hug the mother he hadn’t seen in what felt like an eternity.

“Oh, my, honey!”

He could hear her laughing, could feel her placing a paw on his shoulder and holding him tightly.

She was back…

The pup got lost in the embrace and was only torn out of it when he felt his mother starting to move forward.

“Ok, that’s enough, for now. Let me inside, Brian. It’s cold out there.”

The young canine gave a firm nod of his head and released the female labrador, stepping out of the way so that she could enter their home. As she walked past him, though, he noticed, what was to him, an unusual sight. His mother was carrying two large sacks over her shoulders.

Was that what she had left to get?

Where had she gotten it?

He pointed at the sacks on her back once they were both safely inside with the door shut.

“What’s that, mom?”

Biscuit looked back at him for a moment as if she didn’t understand the question before her eyes lit up in realization.

“Food, honey. I brought us food.”

She knelt down and nudged her head towards the sacks.

“Help mommy get these off, please?”

Brian did as he was told. He grabbed the sack nearest him and then lifted it up and over his mother’s shoulders, successfully freeing her from the weight as he set both of the sacks down onto the floor. His mother immediately began stretching, groaning a bit as her limbs popped.

“Ohhhhhh, that’s so much better. Thanks you, sweetie.”

She began to walk away, but the pup was finally getting over the initial bliss he had felt upon seeing her again. Now, he was just...confused.

What had she been doing all this time?

“Where did you get the food, mom?”

Biscuit stopped walking for a moment. In fact, her whole body seemed to go still to Brian’s eyes as he waited patiently for an answer. After a minute, she finally turned back to him with that warm, familiar, motherly smile of hers.

“Have you been out much while I was gone?”

_What…?_

It wasn’t the response Brian had been expecting, but he didn’t hesitate to answer her.

“I only went out a few times. I checked the traps every day, but there’s not much reason to go out besides that.”

Biscuit nodded.

“Ah. ...Of course.”

She was speaking to him, looking at him, but her voice still felt...distant. Brian didn’t really understand it.

Maybe she was just tired?

Still, he tried again to find out what had been going on with her over the last several days.

“How did you get the food?”

She turned away from him, and the young canine’s mouth fell open slightly.

“Mom?”

He ran over to her.

“Mom, where-”

His question was quickly forgotten once he suddenly felt himself being lifted up by his scruff and tossed up on his mother’s back. For a moment, he was flying through the air, and that kind of sensation is more than enough to make any child giggle with delight.

And that’s exactly what Brian did, and he continued to laugh as he came to land on the female labrador’s back and ride her around the room as if she was some kind of horse.

“Mom!?”

The child spoke between innocent giggles.

“Mom!? What are you doing?”

His mother didn’t say anything, just walked about the room, movement’s growing ever graceful until it felt like she was dancing as the pup rode on top of her.

Brian leaned over and wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck as a means to keep from falling off, still laughing all the while.

This went on for some time, Biscuit dancing about the room as Brian just laid there and enjoyed the ride. He could hardly even remember what he had been so curious about to begin with. Right now, he was just happy to have his mother back. He hugged her, sighing happily as he nuzzled the fur on her neck.

“What were you reading, dear?”

His eyes shot open.

She must have noticed the book on the ground, but...his mom never really asked about his reading… He was more than happy to tell her about it, though!

“I found a book of Greek myths. I don’t really understand them, but there are some pretty good stories in there.”

He heard her hum thoughtfully.

Their dance continued.

“What kind of stories?”

Again, the pup was happy to tell her more.

“Well...the one I just finished was about two people, a man and a woman.”

He was interrupted by a single word.

“Oh?”

Brian took that as his cue to say more.

“Yeah. The girl was named Hero, and the guy was named, uh…”

It took a second to remember.

“It was...Le-an-der? I think that was it. Kind of a weird word…”

His mother spoke again.

“And what happened in the story?”

The pup took another moment to think back over the events of the story, trying to find a simple way to boil them down.

“Well, they fell in love, but the story didn’t end happily…”

Indeed, it had not been a very happy story, but still, Brian had found it a fascinating one. So many of his stories contained tales of people who loved each other, and the more he read them, the more he began to wonder about something.

“Do you know what it’s like to fall in love, mom?”

The dance stopped for a few brief moments before continuing again.

“No, honey…”

Something in the air made the young canine feel tense, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. Now that they were on this subject, it was all he wanted to focus on, though.

“Will I ever fall in love...?”

He heard her laugh.

“A woman can only dream to be as lucky as to have someone as special as you fall in love with them.”

Brian didn’t fully understand what she meant, and he wasn’t able to question her on it before she had begun talking again.

“Maybe one day, dear...and they would be blessed to have your affections.”

She sighed.

“I can only hope that, if it’s what you want, you will one day find a leading lady worthy to take part in your own story.”

For the first time since their dance had begun, the female canine looked back at her son, prompting him to finally sit back up as they locked eyes.

She smiled.

“Because I’ve raised you to be better than any man I’ve ever known.”

It was an odd statement, but even as the pup’s head tilted in confusion and curiosity, all he could do was smile back at that warm and loving face.

The dance proceeded.

* * *

Over the next several weeks, the Winter intensified, and a new normal had become routine. Every several days, Biscuit would leave before always coming back with more food. This never stopped being odd to Brian, but after not getting any answers to his questions regarding the new circumstances the first few times, he resolved to drop the matter. What concern was it of his, anyway? He and his mother were fine, and they had everything they could ever need. Even as the snow began to cover the landscape and the waters eventually froze over, it was hard for the pup to not allow himself to slip into a state of pure comfort. Going outside for extended periods of time was completely out of the question before too long, but that was fine.

He had always been at ease in this house.

And he saw no reason for that to change even as the seasons did.

Meanwhile, his mother was doing her best to keep up this facade. All that mattered was keeping Brian safe and happy. It didn’t matter that she still felt sick every time she had to leave him. It didn’t matter that the people who kept her company while she was away were so cruel to her. It didn’t matter that she would be kept chained to a wall underground for days at a time as anyone who could pay the price had their way with her. It didn’t matter how much she was used…

...And it didn’t matter what was inside her, growing...thrashing…

All that mattered was giving Brian the best life possible, and so long as she was given her compensation, it didn’t matter what she had to do to achieve that.

She did not suffer for nothing…

Brian would never know.

* * *

Somewhere in Rhode Island, a sad dog slept fitfully, her mind flashing back and forth between the two lives she was living.

_“We missed you, Terri.”_

_“I missed you, mom!”_

_“You’re just as good as ever.”_

_“Hey, look at this book!”_

_“One night with me and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”_

_“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”_

_“Remember me?”_

_“What is this stuff! It’s good!”_

_“Very good, Terri!”_

_“When will the snow stop?”_

_“Stay still! I’ll stop when I’m ready!”_

_“I love you, Brian.”_

_“Do you love me, Terri?”_

_“I’m tired. Do we have to read tonight?”_

_“I’m gonna need more from you.”_

_“Let’s dance again!”_

_“Faster!”_

_“Ahahahahaha!”_

_“Harder!”_

_“I hate it when you leave…”_

_“You’ll never leave me again.”_

_“Pray without ceasing.”_

_“You were always so divine, Terri…”_

_“Do I have a father?”_

_“How are they coming along?”_

_“Mom, please don’t go…”_

_“You’re such a loyal girl, so loyal.”_

_“Mom! Look at me!”_

_“Look at me, Terri!”_

_“This stuff is actually kind of cool!”_

_“Come on, girl. Make those pretty moans for me.”_

_“Are you ok?”_

_“Where’s my smile?”_

_“You look sick. I’m worried…”_

_“Tears don’t get me repeat clients. Remember the motto.”_

_“This language is interesting…”_

_“More clients means more compensation.”_

_“Mom, you were gone longer than usual.”_

_“Touch, taste, feel…”_

_“E dolore…”_

_“...Two times, The Dime...”_

_“...magna gloria…”_

“Ahhhhhh!”

The dog awoke from sleep in great distress and began crying.

“God! How long must I endure this!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics for The Inquiry of Ms. Terri:
> 
> A home removed, a life resumed right here.  
> The Priest and the rosary, the book and the bond between he and me has long since broken.  
> A boy who’s grown, too short to see, a tale unfolds, too tall to be.  
> A life once lived behind closed doors, the irony of the pensive whore.
> 
> Touch, taste, feel it ripping me down.  
> Reprise, two times, The Dime, burn it to the ground.  
> Oh, on the ground?
> 
> The inquiry of Ms. Terri. The expiry of misery. The table turns, the sun along the riverbed, and he’s alone; her object of affection, conflicted by convictions of indecency, sorority, corrupted by impropriety.  
> The cavalier she hopes of him in dissonance with experience a boy who grows with knife in hand to fend for her becomes a man while she plays fake affection, and carefully lacks objection to her gentleman callers' twisted desires.
> 
> We dance around the room. My love, I’ll carry you.  
> And I’ll teach you how to treat  
> The Leading lady that you’ll meet.  
> We dance around the truth. My dear, I lie for you, and when I lie down I’m simply lying to them too.


	5. 1878

Life by the lake was peaceful growing up. For Brian, even through the harsh Winter, all he knew at home was love and comfort.

And this is exactly how Biscuit wanted it.

Days and months flew by, and the young pup continued to grow and learn, a smile on his face pretty much all the time, especially when she would arrive home after being gone for a few days. It was everything she had ever wanted for her son, and that made her feel pride as a mother.

They got away.

They were surviving.

The only thing that really concerned her was the one thing she tried her best to ignore. Even during the happiest of their interactions, it was clear that there was something more going on under the surface. Brian had always been so very curious, and she could tell that, even if he wasn’t asking her anything about it, he still had plenty of questions about what it was she was up to. 

Where she was going.

How she was finding food.

He’d had plenty of these questions when she had first started making her trips, but she had ignored them to the best of her ability. They had completely stopped now, but she could tell her son still wondered about what was going on with her sometimes.

_I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me. He knows something is wrong, that I’m hiding something._

He was outside, right now, and that was for the best. She was lying there in their makeshift bed, a rumbling coming from inside her that made her feel ill. She’d been feeling worse and worse with each passing day. It was a familiar feeling, though.

_It’s almost time…_

As Brian had grown, so had her belly, and now, the time had come for her to serve her cursed purpose once again.

The female labrador slowly stood up, taking a second to achieve balance before making her way outside. Once out on the porch, she stopped and took in the still rising sun. It shone on her, the warmth radiating all over her stiff limbs and injecting them with life, a wonderful contrast to the cool Winter breeze that was coming over the hills. She could see Brian off in the distance. He was running towards her. She didn’t know how long he had been up this morning. The pup was always awake before her nowadays, always eager to start a new day and make the most of it. At least the weather was shifting enough for him to be outside more.

She could tell he had missed the freedom somewhat.

The canine shut her eyes and smiled a small smile, humming happily as she took a moment to bask in the beautiful nature of her home. Before long, she could hear her boy calling out to her.

“Mom! Look! It’s so nice out today!”

She opened her eyes just in time to see Brian running up the porch steps. She nodded.

“Yes, it is a very beautiful day, isn’t it, dear.”

The pup nodded in return.

“Yeah! The ice on the lake is even melting. We might be able to swim in it again soon!”

It was a nice thought, and Biscuit couldn’t wait for the day when she and her son were able to just be outside together again.

It wasn’t today, though.

A wave of nausea hit her at the thought. She had come out here for a reason, and unfortunately, she didn’t have much time to waste on talk of swimming and the approaching Spring. It was time for her to leave again, and this time it would be for more than a few days. No, she’d be leaving him for quite a bit longer this time, and even though she knew there was enough food in the house to last until long after she had returned, she still couldn’t help but feel incredibly worried at the idea of leaving her baby all alone for so long.

It had to be done, though.

So, with this in mind, she allowed her smile to fall and her tone to become more stern as she addressed her son.

“That’s nice, Brian… Maybe we’ll be able to do that when I get back, though, because mommy has to go away again.”

The pup’s enthusiasm vanished immediately.

“Oh…”

He lowered his head, gaze now directed at the wooden boards of the porch as silence fell between the mother and son. It took Biscuit a moment to gather up the nerve to continue. Seeing Brian look dejected always broke her heart so…

“Mommy has to go away for longer than she usually does this time, baby, but you have everything you need here. You’ll be ok until I get back. I know you will.”

The pup didn’t reply for some time, but eventually, Biscuit was able to make out a few muttered words coming from the child.

“How long this time…?”

It was a question she couldn’t answer, one she didn’t even have the answer to. The fact of the matter was, though, that Brian didn’t need to know anything else. She hated hurting him every time she left, but nothing she could say would lessen that hurt, anyway.

The truth was just too horrid for such a pure thing.

_All he’ll ever live and die for is here. There is no reason he has to know anything else._

She sighed.

“Soon, dear. Mommy will be back soon.”

There was a huff as Brian looked back up at her, eyes sad and betraying the calm expression he was trying to give her.

He didn’t say anything, so she continued.

“You know the rules. Always be safe. I trust you, Brian.”

The pup’s feet shuffled, but his eyes never left hers. They looked at each other for some time, and then...she caught it, that spark in her son’s eye that always indicated he was thinking about more than he wanted to let on. The pup inhaled and then smiled at her.

“You be safe, too.”

There was still an unease in the air, but Biscuit had grown accustomed to taking what she could get in these moments, not that she knew exactly what it was she should be expecting. She had no way of knowing just how much this was bothering Brian, after all, so in a way, she figured they both had things they couldn’t talk about.

And that’s how it would have to stay.

She smiled back at her son and leaned in to nuzzle his neck.

“I will, sweetie. I will.”

She felt the pup’s arms wrap around her and squeeze as he pulled her into a tight embrace.

“I love you, mom.”

Biscuit’s belly rumbled again, and she had to fight back the tears that wanted to escape.

“I love you, too, Brian.”

She pulled away from the young canine and then began walking away without another word, not wanting to prolong the sad moment any longer. She was soon making her way down the dirt road that led away from the farmhouse and towards the vehicle she knew would be waiting for her only a few miles down the path, mind completely focused on the task at hand.

_You’re doing it for him. You’re doing it for him..._

* * *

The snow had begun to melt, so for the most part, life was able to start resuming as usual. It had been so long since Brian had been able to go out hunting, and now, he was ready to get back to it. After all, not being able to hunt had been the reason his mother needed to go away so much, wasn’t it? So, to the pup, it stood to reason that, if he managed to start catching food again, his mother would be able to stay with him just like she used to. 

How did that not make sense?

It was this reasoning that spurred Brian to do what he was doing now as he hung from the tree at the border of his home. He’d read about so many hunting techniques and traps over the Winter, most of which seemed way too complicated for him, but there was one trap he’d been eager to try ever since learning about it. It was called a pitfall trap, and the concept was a simple one: dig a hole, cover the hole, and wait for prey to fall into hole. Digging the hole had certainly been the hard part. It had to be deep and large enough to catch large prey, and ideally, Brian was hoping to trap one of the deer he would occasionally see roaming around. His mom had always told him to leave the deer alone, saying they were too big and dangerous, but this seemed like a good way to finally catch one. It was an exciting prospect. If he managed to catch a deer, he and his mom would have enough food to last for ages!

That’s what kept him going over the last several days as he dug and dug, deepening and widening the hole while using the very rope that was supporting him now to climb his way in and out. After that he had gathered foliage from around the landscape, and now he was carefully placing it over the ground to hide his trap. It had taken him almost an entire day just to do that, not as long as the actual digging took but probably even more exhausting after spending most of the time hanging from a tree on a rope tied around his waist.

It would be worth it, though.

Besides, his thoughts were more than enough to make each day go by quickly. His mother had not been lying, this was the longest she had ever been away, and this extended absence mainly served to stoke the young canine’s curiosity about just what was going on with his mother?

Where did she go when she left him?

Where was the food coming from?

Was someone giving it to her?

Did his mom know somebody out there beyond their home?

And, if that was the case, why did she insist on him staying here?

Why couldn’t he go with her?

What was she concerned about?

She had always told him that the world was a dangerous place, but what made it safe for her to leave and not him?

And these questions only brought about more questions.

Why did they get to live here by the lake and the tree?

What made them so different from everyone else out there?

She said it was God, but shouldn’t there be others out there who believed that?

Where were they?

Who wrote The Bible?

Why was that book more important than any of his others?

Why didn’t others seek safety out here with them?

How did his mother find this place?

The pup swung over and grabbed another twig before reaching down and carefully placing it over the hole.

He frowned.

Where was his father?

Questions upon questions on top of questions, mysteries that only led to more mysteries, that was all he got for all his pondering, and before he knew it, the sun had started to set. He looked off into the sky.

_Shoot. I need to hurry._

Luckily, he was almost done. Just a few more branches, and he’d be able to go back home. And, then, hopefully he’d come out tomorrow to find something in his trap.

It would be worth it.

The frown disappeared as he took a moment to catch his breath. He loosened his hold on the rope and allowed himself to just hang there, hovering above the ground and as he gazed up at the barren tree, branches devoid of leaves that he could still remember being there. They’d be back soon, though. He couldn’t wait.

The pup huffed through his nostrils and nodded at the tree.

_Bet you’re excited for the Spring, too, huh?_

He chuckled to himself, acknowledging how silly it was to be talking to a tree, but the fact of the matter was, this was something he’d been doing more and more often. With his mother gone so much, the little canine just didn’t have anyone else.

And the tree was supposed to be his protector.

He didn’t fully understand it, but...it helped to at least pretend that there was somebody out here to hear him…someone strong and secure...

So, he laughed, a big smile on his face as he hung there swaying in the wind.

Relaxed.

Happy.

And, then, it happened…

It happened so fast.

The weight at his hip was suddenly gone, and he looked over just in time to see his knife falling from its holster.

“No!”

He didn’t even think twice. In the next instant he let go of the rope and reached his paws out towards the knife.

His knife.

The gift his mother had given him.

All he had of her while she was gone.

He reached out for it, jerking his body all the way around as he did so.

The knife slipped right through his fingers, and then, the rope gave, the knot coming undone and releasing the pup who immediately began plummeting towards the earth. He hadn’t even realized what had happened until his body was crashing through the foliage he had spent all day setting in place, but by then, it was far too late.

He was falling into his own hole.

The setting sun was no longer shining on him, leaving him surrounded by darkness, and he could feel time slowing down as it dawned on him what was happening.

_Oh, no…_

He looked up and watched as the tree, his protector, drifted further and further away. A paw went up to reach towards that tree, a part of him expecting one of those branches to extend out for him to grab.

How silly he was.

No, of course the tree wouldn’t save him. It couldn’t save him, and now, what had once been a source of comfort and peace of mind was morphing before his eyes into something much more sinister. The tree just stood there. It did nothing, just watched as he fell further and further. It loomed over him. It taunted him for being so foolish in that moment.

_You said it would protect me…_

As he focused on that tree, he began to wonder just what lay beyond it. If it wasn’t protecting him now, did it really have the power to keep evil from his home?

Why had his mom told him that it did if it wasn’t true…?

He continued to fall, confusion and disappointment clear on his face as he kept staring at the tree. It felt like such a long way down. How deep had he dug? His arm remained outstretched towards the tree as his eyes turned away from it and back towards the knife that was still in the air below him.

_My knife!_

Brian reached out for it again, thinking he’d be able to reach the hilt, and this time, he did manage to catch the knife with his paw. It was a short lived victory, though. The knife had been twirling through the air, and while he had aimed to catch the hilt, he had instead ended up wrapping his paw firmly around the blade.

It cut him.

Deeply.

And that was the moment when Biscuit’s dear hound first experienced true pain. The sensation shocked him to the core, only made worse by the sight of blood...his blood...pouring so freely in a manner he had only ever seen with his prey. His eyes went wide. Tears formed in his eyes.

And he screamed.

The pup screamed louder than he ever had before, his voice reverberating off of the earth that was consuming him, as if the Earth itself was mocking his suffering. It was enough to make him realize just how alone he really was. The tree wouldn’t help him. His home wasn’t safe.

_Am I going to die?_

He didn’t know much about death, but he knew enough to fear it. He screamed again, nothing but darkness below him as he shut his eyes, terror overtaking him.

_I don’t want to die!_

In his mind he saw his mother. He saw her by the lake, relaxing on the shore as he swam. He saw her looking out to him and shouting not to swim in the river. He saw himself swimming back to land to lie down next to her as they basked in the sun and cool gentle breeze of the wind. He saw himself looking at her. He saw her looking at him.

His eyes opened.

He saw the bottom just in time to feel the impact as his head hit the ground, an impact that caused him to bounce up before he landed again on his leg. It twisted up against him, and a pain much worse than that of the blade hit him tenfold as he saw white. He screamed again, but this time his cries were muffled by the dirt as he lay face down in the hole.

And he remained laying there for some time, screaming and crying his young eyes out, before finally forcing himself to rollover off of his leg.

Pain.

White.

But, he was already going hoarse from all the strain that had been put on his voice.

It hurt. Everything just...hurt. His paw was clutching the knife even tighter now, the blood from his paw pooling on the ground. His head felt wet. It was throbbing relentlessly. And his leg felt like it was on fire, completely consumed by an invisible flame that he had no hope of putting out.

White.

All he saw was white as the pain ate away at his body. Eventually, his vision began to clear, but all he was greeted with was the sight of that tree.

Looming over him.

Looking down at him in disgust and pity.

The puppy whimpered.

“Why did she lie to me about you…?”

Not long after his hopeless inquiry was when his vision began to blur, and he could feel himself starting to slip away.

_No…_

He knew he would be unconscious soon, and the thought scared him because he didn’t know if he was ever going to wake up again after this. He was down here all alone with nothing to help him. Trapped.

The tears continued to fall, and the last thing that came to his mind before he was gone was a thought about where his mother could possibly be while he was down there scared and all alone.

* * *

The black car screeched to a halt as soon as it entered Quahog, and the driver hurried Biscuit out before slamming the door shut and speeding off to wherever else his employer had instructed him to go for the day. The female labrador began walking down the street towards her destination, the bustle of the city surrounding her as the citizens went about their tasks in the middle of the cold day. They paid her no mind and neither did she them as she passed through the town like a phantom completely focused on her unfinished business.

Something tossed in her belly.

Another litter was on the way.

When she had returned to Quagmire, she had hoped to avoid this, but it hadn’t been long before the man had made it clear that he intended to keep using her to breed fighters. He wanted to get everything he could out of her. Of course, that should have come as no surprise. She’d just been hopeful is all.

How silly she was.

Not that knowing the outcome would have changed what she had done. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed Quagmire. As horrible as working for him was, there was at least a consistency in his behavior that granted her and Brian some form of twisted security. He’d kept true to his word. She resumed her duties, and he had provided what she needed. He even assisted her with traveling back and forth. Biscuit would never reveal the actual location of her home, but it was nice to not have to walk the whole way, especially with the load she would always be carrying when coming back from The Dime.

The Dime…

That’s where she was heading now. Heading to that den of sin to bring more lives into the world. Lives that would be doomed from birth. It killed her inside...but she’d lost so many of her young already.

And she had to do what was necessary to protect the one that had managed to escape with her.

Yes, the guilt she felt at knowing she had willingly put herself back in this situation that allowed such atrocity to continue was almost enough to make her run back home, but the fear of knowing she would no longer have support from Quagmire was enough to keep pushing her forward as she made her way closer and closer to the city’s seediest lair.

_You’re doing it for him. You’re doing it for him…_

She’d never been able to save them all before, anyway…

Soon she was passing by the church, making her way around to the other side of the block it resided on and over to a tall but much more quaint looking building, brick and mortar housed between two regular shops with a single silver, circle sign hanging above it.

**The Dime**

**Est. 1878**

_1878…_

She had heard that this place had once actually served a holy purpose before the current priest took over. The church and The Dime were bound together from the moment they’d been constructed, and now, whatever holy purpose they once served together was only there to mask the unholy depravity underneath it all.

The Dime to tempt the congregation.

And the church to absolve their transgressions.

Two enterprises working in conjunction to subjugate the people of this town, all in the name of their priest’s true god.

For a while, Biscuit just stood in front of the door pondering this fact. How different would things in Quahog be if these buildings had never been erected? Had their fates all been set in stone as soon as the foundation had been laid? Was the only hope for the people for these buildings to face destruction?

_How different would my life be…?_

1878, the year all of this had been set into motion. It was all in the past now, though.

She sighed.

_There’s no changing the past._

It was something she knew all too well. All you were granted was the present, and you could only do your best with the hand you were dealt. She just prayed that she was succeeding with her own hand as she stepped forward and knocked on the door with her paw.

It opened immediately.

“Ah. There ya are, Ms. Terri. You ‘ere runnin’ a little late today. I was beginning ta think you weren’t comin’.”

Biscuit didn’t say anything as she kept her eyes locked on Tuck, didn’t make any move to object as he grabbed her by the scruff and began dragging her through The Dime. A few of the workers were wandering around, but they didn’t seem phased at all by what was going on. Biscuit understood, though. What could any of them do?

As he led her to the back, Tuck continued to talk, but Biscuit was not listening. She was so stuck in her own head, so many questions buzzing through it, questions she’d asked herself time and time again. A part of her knew the answers would never come, but that did nothing to sate her need for them.

How could God allow for something like this to exist? It was in no way her place to question her maker, but Biscuit just couldn’t help it. This place...it did more than just ruin her life. She’d heard countless stories during her time here, years and years of torture and anguish. What was it all for? And why would anyone be condemned to endure it? Was it some kind of penitence for past actions? If that was so, what had she done?

Whose sentence was she serving?

She’d been so innocent when she first found that man…

_Why…?_

She snapped back to reality as Tuck began to drag her into the catacombs, darkness engulfing them as they descended aside from a few lights that had been set up along the stone walls. They didn’t follow the path to the church, the path marked with hanging fabric. Instead, they turned down another tunnel that led to one of the more secluded tunnels in the labyrinthine passageway, and they followed it all the way to a dead end where a chain had been secured to the wall.

Her heart began to race. It always did when she came down here. No matter how much time she spent down in this place, it never got any easier. She never felt any better about being stuck down here, surrounded by the dead in these cold and damp confines. It was a filthy place, a pungent odor made all the worse by all the black splotches that covered most of the stone there.

How could anyone deserve this…

_You’re doing it for him. You’re doing it for him…_

She had to remain strong. Breaking down in front of Tuck was not an option. She simply refused to give that man the satisfaction. She knew just how much he would revel in it.

Oh, how she hated him.

Quagmire had been the one to put her here, but Tuck… Tuck had always been the one there to mock her, torment her. Such an awful man in such an awful place, the embodiment of evil, surely.

She hated him.

But, her expression remained cold as he began securing her to the chain on the wall, a delighted grin on his face.

“Ya know, this is a’ways my favorite part, locking you down ‘ere.”

He laughed.

“Watchin’ you suffa...it’s almost enough to make up for what you done to my neck.”

Biscuit just huffed, doing her best to stay strong.

_If I had known you would survive...I would have finished you off right then._

He finished locking her in place and then gave a hard tug on the chain to make sure it was secure, choking Biscuit slightly in the process. It stung her throat, and the female canine’s eyes started to water as she coughed violently.

Tuck just kept smiling.

“There we are. Nowhere for ya ta go, Terri.”

He snickered and stood from where he had been crouched next to her.

“And no one to save ya.”

The man just stood and looked down on her for a minute before continuing.

“No one to save dem pups, either. We won’t be makin’ the same mistake twice, after all. You already got away with one of ‘em.”

The smile remained, but Biscuit could see a hint of frustration flash in Tuck’s eyes as he allowed that comment to hang in the air before speaking again.

“Whatever ‘appened to that un, anyway?”

This was not the first time Tuck had asked about Brian, and just like all the other times, Biscuit refused to offer up any information on the matter. Brian would not get involved in this.

This would NEVER be his life.

Biscuit just stared on defiantly, eyes still wet from unshed tears as she waited for Tuck to realize he still wasn’t going to get anything out of her.

Eventually, the man just shrugged.

“Eh, what’s it matter. Little guy probably died out der or somethin’.”

And with that final comment, he turned and walked away, leaving Biscuit down there alone in the hole to think about those final words.

_Brian…_

He wasn’t dead. She had taken care of her child to the best of her ability. He was a happy boy…

She closed her eyes.

In her mind she saw her son. She saw him swimming out in the lake as she relaxed on the shore. She saw him going towards the river. She saw herself shouting for him to not go so far. She saw him swimming back to land to lie down next to her as they basked in the sun and cool gentle breeze of the wind. She saw him looking at her. She saw herself looking at him.

Her eyes opened, and the tears she had been holding back finally escaped as she collapsed onto the ground and began sobbing, rosary rattling around her neck as her body shook.

“Oh, Brian!”

She missed him. She missed her son, and now, she was feeling guilty because Tuck’s comment had caused such a horrible thought to come into her mind.

_If he had died...I wouldn’t be here._

It was a simple truth. The only reason she had come back after escaping was because of him. Perhaps she would have been content to die in the woods herself. Perhaps she could have found a better way to live by herself, but no, she had Brian. She was his mother, and she had to do whatever she could to take care of and provide for him.

So, here she was, no more in control of her own life than she ever had been. She thought back on it all. Had she ever been truly in control of her life at any point? When had she ever gotten to live for herself?

The answer was never, and it would probably remain that way until it no longer mattered.

So, here she was, trapped under the Earth and awaiting the day when she would finally be allowed to return to her son again.

Always the faithful mother doing her duty…

She inhaled...

...and began to cough.

* * *

An unknown amount of time later after passing out, Brian finally awoke in the hole. His eyes slowly opened to see that it was now dark out, and his body began to gradually register all of its injuries once more. He looked over at the paw he had cut to see it was no longer holding his knife. Instead, the paw was lying in a patch of blood-soaked earth, and the knife was there on the ground right beside him. He clenched and unclenched his paw, wincing at the discomfort but grateful that it no longer hurt as much as when he had initially sliced it. The young canine then reached up to feel his head with the other paw. The fur was no longer wet but it was matted with what he assumed was his dried blood. His head was also pounding furiously, making it extremely hard to focus on much. He lay there for a few more minutes, and then, he began to sit up. A bolt of pain shot up through his leg, causing him to cry out. He looked at it and gasped at what he saw.

His leg was completely crooked, a position he knew it shouldn’t be in.

And he couldn’t move it.

The pup began to breathe heavily as he attempted to stand up in the hole, but the pain immediately sent him back down into a sitting position.

“Ahhhhhh!”

Fresh tears entered his eyes. It hurt too much. He didn’t want to move. All he could do was sit there and gawk at the state of his injured limb.

_W-What am I going to do…?_

Something cold landed on his head, but he ignored it.

He was scared.

So scared.

He began to cry, folding in on himself as much as he could, burying his face in his arms as he sobbed helplessly.

That cold sensation hit his head again.

Then again.

And then again.

He finally looked up to see what was causing it, and once he realized what was happening, his heart sunk even lower than it already had.

It was starting to snow.

* * *

Sunday services at the church were always packed. The congregation always poured in, each attendee eager to hear from their beloved priest. It was an event, something that felt more akin to a theatre performance than your typical worship service. There was charisma and music, and the citizens of Quahog ate it right up. The priest was a real showman.

Biscuit could recall the first time she had seen one of the services, how delightful it had been. She had felt so at ease and at home, the first positive emotions she could remember feeling after Luke’s passing. She remembered the music most of all. Right next to the stage, there was a grand organ, and every Sunday one of the musicians would sit down to play it along with the rest of the band. The sound of that organ would always sweep her right away.

Such lovely melodies…

Those days were long gone, though. The organ no longer made her feel much if anything after she learned the truth behind the performance. So, it did nothing for her to hear that organ playing now as she serviced one of her clients down in the catacombs. The sound echoed all throughout the tunnels. It always did, a reminder that only a few feet away, there were people singing and dancing blissfully as she remained trapped in her prison. It was almost enough to make her cry out for them, but she knew they would never hear her. While she may be able to hear the signs of life from up above, there was no way her voice would carry to them.

She had no voice down here.

“Keep sucking, bitch.”

Her client thrust forward and caused her to gag, bringing her back to the task at hand. It wasn’t like her to get so distracted. She was a professional, after all, and she would have apologized for drifting off if her mouth wasn’t so preoccupied.

Oh, well.

It would all be made right soon enough.

She smiled up at her customer and continued with her service.

* * *

Over the next several days, Biscuit tended to client after client even as she felt herself growing weaker and weaker due to the late stage of her pregnancy. It did not matter to her employer how she was feeling. She had a job to do, and she was obligated to do it whenever it was required of her. Any luxuries she used to be afforded were long gone ever since she betrayed the pimp.

Betrayed…

That was the word she kept hearing, and she knew it was such a nonsensical thing to consider what she had done.

But, that didn’t stop her from feeling a bit guilty every time she heard it.

God, she was losing her mind…

Of course that shouldn’t be entirely surprising. How would anyone remain sane trapped here in the dark with no sense of time passing. Darkness. Just constant darkness. Darkness and a revolving roster of clients who had paid good money to have all their fantasies fulfilled. Oh, and occasionally Tuck would pop down to taunt her and check on her condition. She did whatever was asked of her.

That was her job.

It went on day after day after day, each one harder than the last as the birth of her puppies drew nearer and nearer. She could feel them moving inside her. It wouldn’t be long now.

Any day now.

This next doomed litter would be arriving any day now…

And that day couldn’t come soon enough.

_Brian, I pray to God that you’re alright._

* * *

The young pup leaned down and took a big sip of water from the puddle of melted snow that was on the ground. His belly rumbled. He’d been down in this pit for days now. How many had it been? Four? Five? He’d lost count. At the very least the snow had stopped, and he’d been able to use the water left behind to quench his thirst.

His hunger, though?

His belly roared again.

He hadn’t eaten in so long…

He leaned back against the wall, exasperated. It was getting harder and harder to find the strength to even bother staying awake, anymore. There was nothing down in that pit. The world outside was just continuing on like it always did while he spent hour after hour down there with no saving grace in sight.

His leg was still busted. He had attempted numerous times to stand up, but really, what good would that even do? He couldn’t climb his way out. The walls of the pit were too slick, and there was nothing to grab on to. The climb would have been almost impossible regardless. The pit was so deep. Why had he dug it so deep!? And, even if he could climb, he wasn’t even sure if he had the strength to make it all the way up there anymore.

He was getting weaker by the day… He could feel it.

How much longer could he last?

It was thoughts such as this that continued to occupy his time as he sat there. All he had were his thoughts, after all, as the hours and days flew by. It was getting harder to keep track of time.

_Where are you mom…?_

Suddenly, the sound of thunder could be heard from up above. Brian looked up to see dark, ominous clouds in the sky.

And, then, it started raining. It was an instant downpour, cold and harsh, that immediately had the poor dog drenched to the bone.

Maybe he did miss the snow, after all.

Brian sniffled and began to cry again. He figured he’d cried more in this hole than he had during the entire rest of his life. His body began to shiver as the waters continued to pour down on him.

Cold…

So cold…

A sob coursed through his tiny frame.

“MOM, WHERE ARE YOU!?”

No answer came. He never expected one to.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

His crying grew more intense as he laid back down, body sinking into the moist earth as he focused his gaze on the tree that had been looking down at him this entire time.

He whimpered.

“Save me...please…”

He remained lying there as the rain continued to come down, crying and howling out for whoever might hear him in this lonely and desolate place until he had no choice but to give in to exhaustion and sleep once more.

* * *

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Biscuit’s cries were more than enough to drown out the organ that was playing in the church.

Pain…

So much pain…

She was in the midst of labor, and Tuck was there to help her deliver her litter. The man wasn’t making it easy on her, though. He reveled in her discomfort, absolutely cackled in glee every time she screamed in agony.

“Awwwwwww. Come now, Terri. You should be used to this by now, ole girl.”

He smacked her in the leg as hard as he could.

Biscuit winced and buried her face into the ground.

“Now, PUSH!!!!!!”

She did. She pushed as hard as she could, grunts and groans only being interrupted by the occasional scream or violent coughing fit.

“Good! There’s one! You’re doing it!”

He hit her again, and Biscuit howled out in pain as she kept pushing.

_Oh, God, I need this to end quickly!_

* * *

Brian snapped back to consciousness to find his snout completely submerged in water. He shot up and immediately began coughing as he tried to catch his breath. The rain was still coming down, and the pit was slowly starting to fill up. It wasn’t until he had finally recovered from the lack of oxygen, though, that he was finally able to realize how dire his situation was.

_No…_

His heart began to beat faster. His legs were already submerged. He didn’t know how long he had been asleep, so it was hard to tell how long it would be before the rest of his body was underwater, too.

He was so tired, though…

He was cold and exhausted.

And the rain just kept coming.

He couldn’t take it. He didn’t want to deal with this anymore. He didn’t have the strength.

The young pup looked up into the clouds and folded his hands in prayer.

“God, please, stop the rain.”

He sniffled.

“Don’t let me die here…”

His shivering intensified, and his voice cracked as he uttered his next plea.

“I want to see my mom again…”

* * *

“‘Er we go! That’s number five! You’re a real champ of a lady, you are!”

Another rough smack to her leg. It was burning like crazy by this point, and that in combination with the already intense pain of childbirth was simply too much.

She couldn’t take much more…

Tuck hit her again.

“We ain’t done yet, girl! Keep pushin’!”

_I...can’t…_

It was getting harder to breathe, and her vision was starting to blur. She could also hear the sounds of her puppies, whimpering and whining as they sat next to that crooked man. It sounded like they were underwater to her ears. Everything was so hazy. She had to keep going, though. She couldn’t afford to pass out now. Biscuit began panting heavily, trying her best to summon the strength for another hard push.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh!”

“‘Er ya go! You almost got it, Terri! Da boss will be very pleased to see all the new additions to the ring!”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”

She just kept screaming, fighting her way through the pain as she put everything she had into the push. It felt like it went on for hours, but eventually, the final pup finally entered the world as Tuck retrieved it and put it with the others.

“Hmmmm. I think that’s all of ‘em…”

She heard a sigh as she closed her eyes and began to try and catch her breath.

“Kinda a bummer, though. I was hoping this would last just a mite longer, honestly.”

The man laughed behind her, but Biscuit couldn’t say anything. The pain was finally subsiding, and all she could do was to sink into that relief as sleep took hold of her.

Her single salvation.

* * *

Many days went by, and Biscuit and Brian remained in their respective holes.

For Biscuit, the hard part was over. She’d successfully brought another batch of life into the cruel, dark world, and all she could do now was to try her hardest to not get attached to the puppies she knew would soon be taken away from her. For Brian, there was much less hope. The rain had stopped before the water had risen high enough for him to drown, but the poor thing was still trapped in that pit with no idea of when he would ever get out...if he would ever get out.

Each day the mother and son prayed to see each other again. Biscuit wanted to remain focused on the son she had escaped with. Brian just wanted to believe that he would one day escape his hell.

All either of them wanted was to reunite, to be together as the Spring arrived so that they could once again spend a day together by the river and the lake. It was a simple wish, and yet, it seemed like such an impossibility to them both as they struggled through their separate trials, a vision so close...yet so far away...

* * *

“It’s getting late in the day…”

He wasn’t sure why he said it. Sure, he could tell that it was getting darker, but...so what? What did acknowledging that do? Night would come, and then, a brand new day would begin, a whole other day for him to remain trapped in this pit he had dug for himself.

He sighed and laid down in the shallow water, folding his arms up under his head as he gazed up blankly at the tree that had been keeping watch over him ever since he had fallen down here. He spoke to it bluntly.

“You’re just going to watch me die down here...aren’t you.”

Still talking to it.

He was out of his mind. Why should he care, though? What good was his mind when he was trapped down here? His mind hadn’t been any good for him in the first place. His mind was what had convinced him to dig this hole. His mind was what had made him reach out for that stupid knife his mother had given him. And his mind had completely failed at coming up with a way for him to escape this place. So what if his mind wasted away, then? The rest of his body would surely follow soon after. His stomach growled, and a sharp pain pierced through his abdomen.

He had finally accepted that.

It was inevitable.

He still didn’t want to die, but he had long lost any hope he might have had. The thought saddened him slightly, but he had also long run out of tears to cry. His eyes had been dry for the past few days now. Not even the pain in his body was enough to bring forth moisture.

He just wanted it all to be over…

He huffed and shut his eyes.

“No one is coming to save me.”

_She’s never coming back, Brian._

* * *

_Biscuit was lying in the grass; eyes closed as she bathed in the warm, Spring sun while listening to the sound of the water as Brian swam in the lake by their home. Brian was having the time of his life. He loved to swim, and the water was the perfect temperature today. He dived under the water and began to swim further out. He wanted to explore more, wanted to see everything there was to see. When he came back up for air, he was pretty far out. The river that ran into the lake was closer than it had ever been. He considered swimming closer to it._

_Where did it lead?_

_“Brian, don’t swim out into the river! You know the rules!”_

_Dang it. She’d seen him. He sighed before turning back around to wave to his mother._

_“I was just looking, mom! I’m coming back now!”_

_It was a lie. He desperately wanted to see what was out there._

_But, he also didn’t want to anger his mother, so he started swimming back towards her with nary a protest. It wasn’t long before he was back on the shore and moving to lie down next to Biscuit. The young canine breathed in the pleasant Spring air, breathed it in deeply before exhaling in contentment. The sun was nice and warm. The breeze coming over the hills was cool and inviting._

_Everything was so perfect here._

_He looked over at his mother._

_She looked at him._

_They smiled at each other._

* * *

“It won’t be much longer now…”

Biscuit was lying down and staring off into the darkness of the tunnels as her litter nursed. She’d been tending to them for several days now, and even though she kept telling herself to not get attached, it soon became evident that not feeling at least a little affection for them was pretty much impossible. They were her babies after all.

...And they would be taken away from her soon.

On one hand, she was sort of grateful to know that. Once she was done with them, she’d finally be able to return to Brian. How long had it been since she had left? The poor thing must have been worried sick. This is what she tried her best to keep her mind on.

_Brian… I need to get back to Brian._

Unfortunately, there was another hand at play. Because she did feel awful for what was going to happen to the pups she was currently nursing, and no matter what she did, she couldn’t shake that guilt. She just didn’t have that in her.

What was done was done, though, and it had to be this way...for Brian…

God, all she wanted to do was to just go completely numb to any and all emotion. Things would be so much easier that way. Not even her emotions were under her control, though.

The female labrador frowned and looked down at the nursing puppies.

One in particular caught her eye, the one she couldn’t help but feel especially bad for.

It looked...so much like Brian… Even in the dim light she could tell that much, and she could have sworn that it mimicked her son in almost every way. The way it acted reminded her of how Brian used to act in his own infancy. How did that point in time already feel so far away? An entire year had almost passed, gone in a blur. Brian had grown up so much in that time, but this new pup...it was like having him as a baby all over again.

It was special, too. She could tell. It would be no good to Quagmire…

And she for sure wouldn’t be able to save this one… The knowledge tore her up inside.

_I’m so sorry, little one._

The pup finished nursing and retreated away from the others. It found a nice secluded spot of its own and laid down to sleep off its dinner.

Biscuit smiled at it.

_I wish I could help you like I helped him._

Tears began to form in the mother’s eyes, so she opted to close them. Soon she had fallen asleep, as well. In her dreams, she could see herself escaping with this new pup. She could see herself fighting to get them to safety, rushing out of this hell and out of the city forever. She could see them making the journey back to the lake and the river, and she could see the look of delight and surprise on Brian’s face when she got to introduce him to his little brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics for 1878:
> 
> We got away, we got away and survived.  
> Stunned by the shock and fearing what’s behind.
> 
> Everything you thought you’d live and die for;  
> Every reason leading you to here  
> All of the sounds that trickle past your introspective ear; an attempt to discover what’s behind.
> 
> Branches twisting, reaching for the sky.  
> Hands extending, reaching for the…
> 
> Fell in another hole for the knife.  
> Loss of control for the knife.  
> I’m in another hole for the knife.  
> Bleed myself dry, save my life.
> 
> The River, The Lake.
> 
> Fell in another hole for the knife.  
> Loss of control for the knife.
> 
> Hands conflicted clearly point the way.  
> Stunned by the sight and fearing what it says.
> 
> Everything you thought you’d live and die for;  
> Every reason leading you to hear all of the sounds that trickle past your introspective ear; an attempt to discover what’s...
> 
> Fell in another hole for the knife.  
> Loss of control for the knife.  
> I’m in another hole for the knife.  
> Bleed myself dry, save my life.
> 
> The River, The Lake.
> 
> Fell in another hole for the knife.  
> Loss of control for the knife.
> 
> [Breathe in.  
> Breathe out.]


	6. The Pimp and the Priest

Brian and Biscuit’s circumstances are surely dire, indeed, but as has been said, that’s just how the story goes. However, though the situation seems quite hopeless, I can at least assure you that this first part of Brian’s story is nearing its end. I will go ahead and say that Brian does survive his experience in the hole, and I will also inform you that he and Biscuit will be reunited again soon after he escapes that pit. But, as for what comes after, that will be a chapter in Brian’s life for another time. After all, the story of Biscuit’s dear hound hasn’t even truly begun yet. The groundwork for what is to come is simply being laid. Still, even if the foundation for this tale may not be fully formed as of this moment in Brian’s life, the links in the chain that bind it are already secured.

And they cannot be broken.

But, for now, we will leave Biscuit and Brian beneath the Earth as their current ordeals reach their end because the time has come for our antagonist in this narrative to take the stage. So, let us jump back in time to another story, a minuscule chapter in Quagmire’s story, but a devastating one for a very unfortunate family. Let us see just how Quahog’s pimp and priest operate in synergy so that it may be fully understood the ever-present danger that surrounds Brian as the days bring him closer and closer to arriving in Quahog and meeting this clever but insidious man. Let us witness the true extent of the grip that is held on this otherwise humble city. Because, no matter how much Biscuit may try to keep her son sheltered and safe, the sad fact of the matter is that she will not succeed before everything is said and done. Brian and Quagmire will meet, maybe not soon, but the time is fast approaching for the pimp and the priest’s web to ensnare yet another innocent life.

The hunter will become the prey.

And that is how this story goes.

So, let's bring this inevitability further into context. We’ll return to Brian’s story soon, but for now, we’ll start this separate chapter with a baptism, a sermon, and a scheme to subjugate.

* * *

“Watch out for false prophets.”

Quagmire was in the middle of his weekly sermon, going through the usual motions required of his holy role as the local priest, a performance he had mastered long ago. In fact, he had quoted this very passage many a time. The congregation was never bothered by repetition. So long as he spoke with assurance and authority, they’d get exactly what they needed to keep them going as they carried on with their pitiful little lives. He knew they were acting just as much as him. Everyone in this building had something to hide. He was just the one person who was wise enough to take advantage of that fact.

“They come to you in sheep’s clothing...”

And the time had come to take advantage yet again. He was speaking to the crowd, but his eyes were locked on three people in particular. He smiled at them, the usual charming smile he wore so well. He smiled at the newest members of his congregation, a family of three that had moved into town a few months ago. The father, mother, and daughter had been popping into his Sunday services every now and then for a while, but a few weeks ago they had finally become dedicated members of his flock.

“...but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

Today had been a big day for them. Today the father had been baptised in the river. It was such a special moment for this family. Quagmire knew what it was supposed to represent. The father had let his wife and child down many a time, and they had moved here for a fresh start. His baptism was supposed to be symbolic of his rebirth as a father, a rededication to his family and his faith.

“By their fruit you will recognize them.”

Quagmire had been counseling the family over the last few weeks, taking the time to visit them in their home as they worked through their past troubles. In the past, the father had been neglectful, inattentive to his family. They said he had spent too much time at work and not enough time with them, and it had almost torn them apart. But the father had resolved to try and make things right, and after many visits, Quagmire had convinced the man that a baptism was in order.

“Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”

So, that is why today had begun out by the river. It was where Quagmire performed all his baptisms. The crowd loved the change of scenery, and there was definitely something much more visceral about being out there in the water when witnessing the immersion. It always made for a great show, and Quagmire was fully aware of how important putting on a great show for his audience was. The people loved it, and by extension, it made them love him. He catered to their every desire. That’s what gave him power over them. They needed him.

“Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit…”

Of course, this baptism hadn’t been just like any other. Quagmire had performed many baptisms, but this one had been more calculated than most. No, the priest had very specific intentions in mind for taking the father out to the river that day. He needed this family to trust their patriarch again.

“...but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

It was all part of the plan. Because, as much as these people needed Quagmire, he wasn’t arrogant enough to not understand how much he needed them, as well. They all had a purpose to serve in his design, and he was about to assign a new purpose to the young daughter of the family. Yes, he needed that girl. Such a perfect candidate for his enterprise. Innocent. Vulnerable. Ripe for the picking. He just had to get everyone else out of the way first.

“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit...”

They were smiling at him. They were so grateful that he had helped them come back together. It took everything in Quagmire to keep from laughing right at them. He never broke, though. A true professional never let the mask slip, and he never would have come this far if he were anything less than a true professional.

“...and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”

They trusted him completely. The daughter trusted him completely. The family was healing, but Quagmire was fully aware that the daughter was still working through her own issues with her dad. He knew this because she had confided in him privately. She had come to him many times, and he knew that, in a way, she was using him to fill the role that her father had failed to for so long. It just made everything all the easier. She wasn’t the first. She wouldn’t be the last.

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

All he had to do was play his cards right. The pieces were already in place. It would take some time, but soon enough, The Dime would have another dedicated worker to serve his eager clientele. The outcome was inevitable. It always was. He was their shepherd, and they would go wherever he led them. Different characters, but the story would always remain the same. He knew what these people wanted, and that’s exactly why HE would always get what HE wanted out of THEM.

“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

_You’ll be mine soon enough._

This was the primary thought on the priest’s mind as he continued through the rest of the service. It was another rousing message from the Lord that left his congregation feeling spiritually fulfilled as they departed, and afterwards, Quagmire made sure to take his usual spot by the door to send everyone off with an individual farewell. He was especially quick today, though. The family were always some of the first to leave, and he wanted to make sure he was there to see them off properly.

As they came by, he stopped the father and shook the man’s hand, congratulating him on the big step he had taken that day. The father thanked the priest, his smile matching the ones his wife and daughter were wearing as they all stood to the side and made room for the others in the congregation to exit the building.

“You brought us together in our time of need. I’m not sure how we could ever repay you, Father.”

Quagmire chuckled and finally let go of the man’s hand.

“I am but a humble servant for our Lord and savior. All credit should go to him and him alone.”

The man nodded.

“Of course. Of course.”

It was then that Quagmire turned towards the daughter.

“And let us always remember that there is a cause and effect to everything, and so long as we follow His word, we will always act in ways that not only make us better but those closest to us, as well.”

The daughter’s smile grew as Quagmire continued, still addressing the family as a whole as his eyes locked onto hers.

“I want to do whatever I can to help you flourish. If you ever need anything, you come here to me. Understand?”

They all nodded, and the priest offered up a single nod to them in turn before leading them in a quick prayer. He thanked the Lord for bringing this family to him. He expressed his gratitude over the father finding his way again and asked God to bless them as they continued to heal and grow under their savior’s guidance. There was no trace of insincerity in his tone, and by the time the prayer had come to an end, the mother was in tears. She hugged the priest and thanked him over and over again before finally departing with her family. Quagmire waved to them all, smile still plastered on his face as he turned to bid farewell to the few attendees still leaving the building.

But, even as he spoke to others, his mind was still on that girl.

_You’ll be mine soon enough._

* * *

_“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned; it has been too long since my last Confession. I accuse myself of the following sins.”_

The girl’s father was weak.

Quagmire was in his office, sitting at his desk as he replayed the moment when that man had first sought him out in the confessional. He had poured his heart and soul out to the priest, and Quagmire could tell that it had been a long time coming. There was so much stress in that man’s tone as he cried over the things he had done behind his family’s back, things he never wanted them to ever know about. There were sobs and hushed wails as he tried to keep his voice down, but by the end, there was acceptance...relief. Because Quagmire was good at his job. He was good at bringing these people comfort as they aired out their dirty laundry to him. He was even better at cataloging all of these misdeeds into his attentive brain, and he could remember how happy he’d been to hear about the father cheating on his wife, admitting to a constant struggle with lustful thoughts day after day. It had brought such a genuine grin to his face.

They always paid for their indulgences.

The daughter had been talking with him for a couple of weeks by then, and it didn’t take a genius to see that she was seeking out a better father figure than her own. Quagmire was always happy to help the women in his congregation, so he had been more than happy to listen to this girl. No, she wasn’t a woman yet, but that time was approaching. With this in mind, it didn’t take the priest long to start considering her as a candidate for The Dime. He was always on the lookout for candidates, and this girl was already playing right into his hands. Not that all of his girls were manipulated into his employment. He had plenty of workers who came to him quite willingly, and they all did their jobs quite well.

The supply still had to meet the demand, though. He was in the business of sating desires, and that sometimes required a healthy amount of manipulation to acquire the product he needed.

And that girl was EXACTLY what he needed, right now.

So, of course, he had been so very thrilled to have her father in the booth next to him and supplying all the ammunition he required to fulfill that need.

It was almost too perfect, and now, the time had come to put his latest scheme into action.

He just needed to make a quick phone call first.

* * *

A few days later, the father was out in town, walking down the sidewalk when he was suddenly stopped by a random passerby. The man wasn’t watching where he was going, and the pair of them ended up bumping shoulders. The guy stopped immediately and turned around to apologize profusely. The father thought nothing of it and was about to be on his way when the man stopped him again.

“Hey! You look familiar!”

The father quirked an eyebrow. He was sure he had never seen this guy before.

“Pardon?”

The man tapped his chin for a moment, and then, a light of recognition illuminated in his eyes.

“Yeah! I’ve seen you around over by the church! You’re new, right? With the wife and daughter?”

The father hesitated briefly before finally smiling and nodding his head.

“We’ve been in town for a few months now, but yeah, I guess we’re still pretty new.”

The man laughed and reached out to shake the father’s hand, and from there, the two males started up a casual conversation as they proceeded down the sidewalk together. They talked about the town a bit, about the church. Naturally, their shared faith came up, and before long, the father was explaining to this man he had just met about how he’d messed up in the past and was looking for a fresh start. After all, why wouldn’t he open up to this stranger? They were both Catholic. They went to the same church. That had to mean something.

During his brief time here in Quahog, the father had reached out to hardly anyone besides the priest. He had new acquaintances at work, but they weren’t people he felt like associating with in any manner beyond professional. So, there was something nice about getting to chat with another man that he felt he could relate to on some level.

And that’s why he ended up accepting his new friend’s offer to go out for drinks that evening.

All part of the plan.

This man was no friend. He was just another associate, a pawn in Quagmire’s games. Why work for such a person, though? Well, everyone who ever did dealings with the town priest all had their own reasons. Some were certainly more willing than others, and this man was one of them, a regular assistant in the pimp’s operations so long as he was compensated monetarily. But, the father had no way of knowing this, no way of seeing the trap that was being laid for him.

And that’s why he followed that man to a humble little establishment he had yet to hear about, a building with a peculiar sign on the door.

**WE WELCOME WALK-INS**

The moment he stepped foot into that place, his fate was sealed. The building didn’t seem that impressive on the surface. From what the father could see, it pretty much consisted of a single large room for the customers. Silk lined the walls, and there was a bar near the back on the right wall as well as plenty of tables and chairs all around the room for seating. There was also a full open stage in the very back that stretched out into the crowd with a microphone stand at the front of it. He imagined entertainment would sometimes be there, but it was clear tonight. Even without entertainment, though, the place was mostly packed. It was a little loud and rowdy for his tastes, but there was a pretty comfortable atmosphere that he found alluring. He took it all in as he followed his new friend to the bar. They had a seat at the table, and the rounds started from there, his new friend very graciously offering to pay for all their drinks.

It had been quite some time since the father had last stepped into a place like this, and he hadn’t actually indulged in alcohol in months. It just hadn’t been anything he’d been too concerned about when he was simply fighting to keep his family together. But things were looking up now. He was a better person. His family was healing, and tonight he was finally getting to let loose a bit with someone he had actually taken a strong liking to. A few drinks in, and he was more talkative than before, more open with this man as they bonded over the booze. Stress he had been holding onto for so long, it all just slipped away from him. It was the most relaxed he had felt in ages. He didn’t even mind when other guys he had never seen before came up to him and his new friend and started chit-chatting. His friend seemed to know them, so they couldn’t be that bad, after all. Soon, there was a whole crowd of people talking and laughing and just having a good time.

It was just good fun.

Hours passed by, but he wasn’t even able to care, both because of the liquor in his system and also because of how much he was actually enjoying himself. He barely even noticed when the lights in the room started to dim or when a man in an animal mask suddenly took the stage. He did start paying attention to these things, though, once the strange man started speaking into the microphone, his voice booming over the loud crowd.

“Check check. Can everyone hear me?”

The man’s voice was deep, almost...fatherly. The crowd shouted out that they could hear, and the father joined them simply because it felt like the thing that was done around here. The man on the stage nodded and continued.

“Good. Good. Happy to see so many people here tonight! As always, we’ve got quite the show for you, so I won’t keep that from you for long. Let me just express how much we appreciate your patronage here at The Dime. We aim to please, and the fact that you keep coming back makes it clear that we’re doing just that!”

The crowd cheered, and the father cheered with them. They all cheered so loudly that it took a little while for the man on stage to get a chance to speak over them again.

“Ok! Without further ado, I proudly present to you all the very lovely ladies of The Dime!”

A spotlight that the father hadn’t realized had been on the man moved to the back of the stage, illuminating a curtain that began to part in the middle, and soon a line of scantily clad women was revealed. Music started up from seemingly out of nowhere, a jazzy little piano ditty, drums, horns.

Where was the band?

He didn’t know, but a group of musicians was obviously not what these people had come here to see. The father gulped and set down his drink as the women on stage began to dance suggestively to the music. The crowd was going nuts, but he knew this was not the place he needed to be.

“I think I’m going to…”

He was cut off by his friend.

“Come on! Let’s get a better view!”

The father was suddenly dragged through the crowd, his hazy mind barely even able to process the movements. All he knew was that he was suddenly right next to the front of the stage, gazing up at a group of bombshell knockouts who were eagerly putting on the show of his life.

It was incredible.

Granted, he did make a few attempts to get away, but his new friend fought him every time, and the man was obviously not as intoxicated as he was. It was a losing battle. He had no choice but to stand there and watch.

Watch.

Admire.

Ogle.

I could go into further detail, but details are extraneous, at this point. As you can probably imagine, the father was easily seduced by the temptresses on stage. Quagmire had been right. The man was weak, and that weakness was easily exploited.

All part of the plan.

By the end of the night, he was drunkenly following one of those women to the back areas of the building he hadn’t even known were there, down a hallway that had been masked this whole time by the very silk he had noticed upon entering the establishment. He followed her all the way to her room, his impaired mind fully aware of how horrible this all was, but his body knew what it wanted. No manner of thought given to how wrong this all was would stop him, at this point. His mind would not win this battle.

Desire is a very powerful thing, after all.

The woman took the lead. She undressed him quickly, and then took her place on the bed, lying on her back with an inviting smile on her face. He was with her in a flash, inside her not too long after.

It was wonderful.

It was awful.

He took everything he wanted from her, everything he needed, and she gladly gave it to him.

“Faster!”

He obeyed. An image of his wife flashed into his mind’s eye, and for a moment he felt regret.

_Forgive me!_

His seductress grabbed him, nails digging into his back as she cried out for more.

“Harder!”

The breath caught in his throat, but his regret was pushed to the side. It pained him too much to think about. The deed was done, and he was too full of booze and lust to leave now. All he could do was pray that no one would ever find out about what he had done.

He’d come too far with his family for that to happen.

No one could ever know...

And maybe no one ever would have if the entire tryst wasn’t being recorded at that very moment by a camera that had been hidden only a few hours before.

* * *

Over the next several weeks, Quagmire continued to keep tabs on the family. He had his smoking gun. He was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to set it off. During this time, the daughter kept up her habit of seeking him out. She came to him to talk about her troubles even though she was able to acknowledge that her father was working to be better. She could see it, but it was still hard for her to completely open up to the man who she felt had neglected her and her mother for so long. The priest allowed these visits to continue, to become more frequent. It wasn’t like her parents would care. He was just the town priest who had helped them in their hour of most need, after all. She just needed a true father figure, and he was happy to fill that role. He knew she felt safe with him. It was exactly what he wanted, her to need him.

And it went on like that for weeks and weeks.

Then, just as Quagmire had finally managed to convince her to start opening up to her father again, he set the gun off.

He had one of his men leave a disk of the recording in a package at the doorstep of the family’s house. The father was at work. The mother and daughter were at home. They watched it together out of curiosity, and after that...there was no coming back.

The first domino had fallen, and now, the rest were quickly toppling.

The mother and daughter were left devastated.

The father came home, and naturally, a huge fight broke out.

As you can probably imagine, the following hours were intense and painful emotionally for everyone involved. To recount the entire fight would take pages upon pages of text, and while I don’t want to give short shift to what this family went through, explaining everything that happened that night would do little to further demonstrate the point of this story.

The pimp and the priest of Quahog is cunning. He knows how to work the people around him. And, no matter the cost, he will always gets what he wants out of the citizens of this town.

I already said that this is a minuscule chapter in his life, and that is so very true. Because I could tell you a multitude of stories like this where a person or group were torn apart and destroyed all because this man had an ends to meet. Maybe more of those stories will be told in time, but for now, let’s finish this one.

Let’s see how this family’s story ends.

The fighting between the mother and father was too much. The pain of the betrayal was too much, and the daughter knew exactly where she needed to go.

It was the only place she could go…

So, in the midst of the tears and the shouting, she took off into the night. She left home and ran to the church, ran up the stairs and through a door that had a sign of encouragement plastered onto it.

**WE WELCOME WALK-INS**

Quagmire was there, waiting. She ran into his arms, and he hugged her while she cried, feigning shock as he listened to her explain what had happened.

“Shhhhhhh. It’s ok, my child. It’s ok.”

He stroked her hair and whispered assurances to her, and despite everything that was going wrong around her, in this man’s arms she felt safe. She felt safe with her priest, at his church, and now, with all hell breaking loose at home, it was probably the only refuge she had. She couldn’t stay there, though. No, not yet, but that didn’t stop her from starting to spend as much time with Quagmire as she could. It was just the distraction she needed. Her father had been kicked out, but her mother was hardly any help. The woman was just so distraught and depressed. She couldn’t stand it. Quagmire gave her an outlet by allowing her to volunteer time at the church. He even gave her a gift.

A necklace of rosary beads.

* * *

While the daughter was finding the comfort she needed at the church. Quagmire was still working behind the scenes. The father had been kicked out, so Quagmire made sure the man’s new friend who had first brought him to The Dime was there to help him out yet again.

“Come on. I know what you need. Let’s go get you a drink.”

The father was too broken to protest. He only barely protested when he was led right back to that den of sin.

“I don’t know… I don’t know if I can go back in there after…”

“What’s done is done, my friend. Now, come on. You need to unwind after all you’ve been through.”

As for the mother, she was mostly staying at home. She didn’t talk much, and she was hardly even aware that her daughter was spending so much time away from home. There were attempts to cheer herself up, if for no one else, for her daughter at the very least. The strength just wasn’t there to maintain the facade, though.

Quagmire was happy to help her out, too.

He sent another parishioner to her home to check on her, to keep her company.

To comfort her.

“I’m so very sorry to hear about what happened. Everyone at the church misses you quite a bit. If you ever need anything…”

She was hesitant at first, but the allure of support proved too much. She needed someone, and Quagmire knew that. This stranger was soon the only friend she had, the only one that could make the pain go away, even if briefly.

And, so, each member of that family was now off on their own, completely separated from each other, and it went on like that for some time.

The father drowning his sorrows in booze with the very man who had led him to the slaughter.

The mother growing closer to an individual who was not her treacherous husband.

And the daughter trying to find her own way in this great big mess with only the very cause of it to guide her.

And round and round they went with the pimp and the priest spinning the wheel.

* * *

“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned; it has been three months since my last Confession. I accuse myself of the following sins.”

The mother came to him in the confessional to admit what Quagmire had known would be the inevitable. Her companion was now her lover, a sin in the eyes of the Lord since she was still bound by law to her husband. She expressed guilt over this but also explained why she had done it. In time, she did want to divorce her husband, another sin, but a necessary one. Quagmire understood, and gave her his blessing before she departed.

Still, she would pay for her indulgence.

They always did, just like they paid to indulge.

It was a vicious and perfect cycle.

He’d lead them astray only to be there the next morning to provide their salvation in that wooden booth, and normally, what was said in there was between them, the priest, and God.

That is...unless it could be of use.

And this woman’s confession would certainly be of great use to him.

Word of the mother’s affair spread quickly through the proper channels. The official story was that a neighbor had seen them together, and that was easily believed by the majority. The daughter didn’t know how to take this news. She had already been feeling more uncomfortable at home with this man than she would have liked, and this revelation only exacerbated the issue. She clung to her refuge even tighter. She absolutely hated being at home. The father was heartbroken, but at the same time, he couldn’t blame her. Any hope he had of reclaiming his family was all but lost, though, and this only drove him further into the arms of his companions at The Dime, into the beds of the women there. It was all he could do to escape his awful reality. Booze and sex became his only recourse as he spent night after night at The Dime only to occasionally pass out in some gutter somewhere in town. The mother had not wanted her business out in the open, and at first, she had felt embarrassed and scandalized. In the end, though, she doubled down on her relationship. It made her happy to be with this man. Why should she give that up? And, with their relationship no longer a secret, the two of them were allowed to court more openly.

Eventually, this became too much for the daughter, though, and that’s when Quagmire knew the time was right to take the next step. He offered the daughter a place to stay at the church. If she wished, she never had to return home. After all, she was practically an adult. She had the right to stay wherever she pleased. To the daughter, it was just another sign of just how much her priest cared for her. She gladly accepted the generous offer, and Quagmire promised not to tell anyone where she was staying so that they couldn’t drag her back home.

It would be their little secret.

She was his now.

More time went by, and the family lost all contact with each other. The mother was moving on with her lover. She knew her daughter was staying somewhere else, but she figured that the girl would return home in time. That was her hope. The father had long lost his job. He was living off the generosity of others at his favorite drinking spot. It was a sad and pathetic life, but he figured he could bounce back one day. The daughter had no intention of ever going back to either of them. She was happy with the priest. She was happy to work for him.

He had her right where he needed her, and now all he had to do was tie up the loose ends.

The father.

The mother.

They had served their purpose, and he no longer had any use for them.

The river was where this whole scheme had been put into motion, and that’s where it would reach its end. It happened late one night while the daughter was sound asleep at the church. The mother was asleep also, at home in her bed, but her lover was wide awake and standing next to her. He had drugged her drink earlier, and he knew she would never wake up again as he picked her up and carried her outside and placed her into his car. At the same time, the father was lying outside on the sidewalk, drunk out of his mind to the point that he had no way of fighting when some men started picking him up and carrying him down the street.

“Whaaaaaa…? Wha is happenpening? Where are yoooooou takin’ me?”

They said nothing, and the father just hung there limply as he was left with no choice but to let these men take him wherever they wished. He gazed up at the night sky, and tears soon filled his eyes as he looked back on everything that had gotten him to this point.

He was so weak.

The group took him to the river, and not long after they got there, the car with the mother inside pulled up. Her former lover parked and retrieved her still unconscious body from the back. Quagmire was already out there, standing in the water as he watched the two poor souls being brought to him. He smiled.

The father knew something wasn’t right. He looked off to the side and saw his wife being carried alongside him. The tears intensified. He tried calling out to her, but his voice was barely audible over the rushing water.

“H-Hali!”

He heard the priest then.

“Drop them.”

And, then, Hali and her husband were submerged in the river, and Quagmire kept watch over them as they drowned there slowly. He watched in satisfaction as the life drained from them, waited patiently for the moment when they would be nothing but empty husks where a mother and father used to be. Neither of them put up much of a fight. The mother thrashed a little in her sleep, but she had no way of knowing what was being done to her. The father, however, witnessed it all. He tried to resist with what little strength he had, but he was no match for the men who were working together to hold him under the water. His eyes were wide the whole time, watching the faces of the priest and his men in absolute horror as the water surrounded him. The pain from the burning in his lungs was unimaginable, but after several minutes, he began to feel numb. Soon he felt nothing. His mind registered nothing. The deed was done.

Quagmire’s smile grew.

“Release them.”

The men let the bodies go, and the group watched as they drifted down the river, not a single one of them caring where they ended up. The river had its secrets, and they had theirs.

And they were all content with that arrangement.

* * *

Is it even necessary to say what happened next? With the parents disposed of, and the daughter bound to his every whim, Quagmire was free to manipulate her into the perfect employee. It didn’t take much. The daughter had no one to turn to, so it was child’s play to get her in bed with her first client at The Dime.

And that was always the hardest part.

It wasn’t long after that before she understood her new role. She gave up the name her mother and father had given her and took the name of Ms. Cuse. She was treated well for her services, and for a while, she was happy enough using her new profession as a means to get by. Sure, a part of her always wondered what could have been. She still felt pain over what had happened to her family, and she even sometimes wondered where her parents had even gone. She’d been told that her mother had run off with someone, and as for her father… Who knew where he could have ended up on his set path of self-destruction. They were questions that plagued her, but she would not allow them to hold her back.

She turned out to be a great employee.

...Even if some clients were rougher than others.

“Faster!”

_Save me!_

“Harder!”

_I can’t breathe!_

No, her new profession was not ideal, but it was all she had. She did what was required of her to satisfy her clients no matter how they treated her. Besides, it wasn’t all bad. The other women were nice to her. She was making friends, and they all knew how important it was to stay in line. They worked for a very powerful man, and so long as they kept him happy, they too would be, for the most part, happy.

That’s at least what she believed for a very long time.

Then, one day, she heard someone talking about a new employee, and this employee was much more different than any of the other girls she had met.

Apparently, the pimp had recently employed a dog named Ms. Terri, and her circumstances were much more dire. What she heard sounded truly awful. Ms. Terri wasn’t just another worker, she was a tool. The pimp was going to use her to breed other dogs. He was going to take her puppies and force them to fight for gambling and sport. It horrified her to hear this, and her heart went out to this poor creature.

What happened from there should be obvious.

Ms. Cuse met this dog and soon befriended her. She did everything she could to make circumstances for her more tolerable, kept her company, brought her food. She listened to this dog lament the loss of so many young. It broke her heart every time, but she stayed because she knew this dog needed someone. And, then, one day, this dog told her of a plot she had to escape. Ms. Cuse had been hesitant, at first, but eventually, she figured she’d do what little she could. She opened her window and left the door to her room open. It was supposed to look like an accident on her part and, though the pimp had suspected her, he had no way of proving she had aided that dog on purpose. Everything had worked out.

Then, this dog returned and told the pimp what she had done.

And Ms. Cuse was finally allowed to rejoin her mother and father in the river.

So, you see, that’s how this sad story goes, and now maybe it can be understood just who we’re dealing with as we return to Biscuit and her puppies in the tunnels.

* * *

It was late into the night, but Biscuit had no way of knowing that as she was lying down on the ground. The pups were sleeping next to her, and the one that reminded her of Brian was currently snuggled in closer than the others. She was watching him. She couldn’t help it. No matter how hard she tried to remain indifferent, she couldn’t help but be especially drawn to this young one. He was smiling in his sleep, so happy.

So...oblivious.

It wasn’t fair.

She was frowning, but despite the obvious discontent, she was humming a soft, relaxing melody. It had only just popped into her head a few hours ago. She had come up with it in order to soothe her restless children, and now, she couldn’t stop.

“Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Hmmhmm. Hmmhmmhmm.”

Eventually, some words began to come to mind, words to go along with the tune she was humming to her children, to the one who looked like her son back home.

“Siiiiiiiiiiiiiing. Siiiiiiiiing softly.”

_It’s just not fair. You don’t deserve to suffer simply for existing._

“Siiiiiiiiiiing hiiiiim to...the laaaaake.”

_I’d do anything to take you with me, little one…_

“Sing softly. Sing him...to the lake.”

The song began to come together.

“Sing softly...bring him to the lake. Sing softly, sing him to the lake. Sing softly, bring him to the lake. Sing softly, sing him to the lake. Sing softly, bring him to the lake.”

She began to choke up as she sang. This was her wish for this pup, but she knew it was a wish that would never be granted. Still, she kept singing, and the pup kept smiling as he slept. Before long, his mother had drifted off into sleep with him.

_She was lying out on the porch, watching her two boys playing out in the yard. Brian was showing his brother a game he had read about in a book, and the other pup was looking on in awe at his older role model. It warmed her heart to see Brian being such a good big brother to the new addition in their little family. Both her boys were so very special, and she just wanted the best for them. The smiles on their faces brought one to hers, and she laughed as the boys got along and played together._

_So innocent._

_So kind._

_They’d always be that way._

_Not like the others..._

_She closed her eyes but continued to listen to the sounds of chatter and happy laughter coming from her sons. She heard their voices fading away and figured they were simply going out further into the field. Maybe they were going for a swim. The mother opened her eyes, and found that her boys were nowhere in sight._

_She became worried._

_Over what she wasn’t sure but she suddenly couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. She stood up and squinted her eyes, trying to make out the shapes of her boys out on the horizon. She saw nothing, though. Her heart began to race._

_“Brian! Where did you and your brother go!?”_

_There was no response. She ran down from the porch and began walking out into the field._

_“Brian! If you can hear me, I need you to answer! Mommy is worried!”_

_There was still nothing. Where could they have gone? She walked all the way out to the lake, and still, she was unable to find her boys. This wasn’t right. They had to be around here somewhere!_

_“Brian! Where are you two!?”_

_Finally, a voice responded from further out into the field._

_“Mom! Mom, come quick!”_

_She immediately bolted off towards the cry of her son. She found him standing by the tree, eyes wide in fear as he pointed off towards the forest. Her heartbeat quickened._

_“What is it, Brian? What happened?”_

_The young pup jabbed his finger in the direction of the forest._

_“He went past the tree! I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen to me!”_

_Her heart stopped._

_“Stay here.”_

_And she took off into the forest after her youngest son. She called out to him, but her voice had gone silent. How was that possible? She called out again, but no sound emerged. The wind was strong. Maybe it was drowning her out? She didn’t understand. All she knew was that she had to find her boy before it was too late. If she didn’t find him soon, he’d probably be lost out here forever! So, she kept running. She kept calling out his name in vain._

_Where was her voice?_

_What had happened to her voice!?_

_“Wake up!”_

_Who was that? Was that him? She didn’t know he could speak yet._

_“Wake up!”_

_What did he mean? She was awake. She was in a nightmare, but she was very much awake._

_“Wake! Up!”_

_She fell to the ground and slammed her eyes shut as she shouted back out to the voice._

_“I can’t!”_

“Wake up, Terri!”

Biscuit’s eyes shot open as she returned to the waking world. She began panting heavily, and her eyes went up to see who had spoken to her.

It was Tuck.

And he wasn’t alone.

_...You? Why are you here?_

Quagmire was there with Tuck, but there was one more individual with them.

That individual was Brian’s father. He was standing there just like the other two, on two legs and fully clothed just like he was another human, a rare specimen and the sole reason Brian was the way he was...the reason his brother was the way he was.

_How dare you allow this to happen to your own children!_

Tuck suddenly spoke again.

“We’re ‘ere for da young uns, Terri. It’s that time.”

The man chuckled and then pointed a thumb in the direction of the brown-furred dog next to him.

“Don’t fret too much, though, love. They won’t all be goin’ to the ring dis time. Good ole Coco ‘ere says he an’ his wife would like a little un of their own.”

Brian’s father, Coco, nodded his head.

“The missus wants a little runt, so I figured we might as well take the one Glen wouldn’t need.”

He looked over at Quagmire and smirked.

“Of course, I had to run it by Mr. Usher first, but he gave me his blessing so there shouldn’t be any issue.”

Quagmire rolled his eyes.

“I already said he was yours. Just take him already.”

Biscuit looked down at the sleeping pup.

_NO!_

She wasn’t ready for him to be taken away from her just yet, and she couldn’t let him be raised by this awful mutt and his whore of a wife! What kind of horrible person would marry someone like him, anyway!? As these thoughts raced through her head, Quagmire kept talking.

“He’s useless to me, anyway. No loss here. Do whatever makes your wife happy.”

He turned his attention to Tuck and handed him the carrier that Biscuit had seen many times before.

“Get to it, Tuck.”

Tuck laughed his usual awful laugh as he took the pet carrier and began stalking his way towards the chained animal. Biscuit instinctively curled around her pups, but it was no use as Tuck began forcing them away from her.

_NO! LEAVE THEM ALONE!_

Again. It was happening again! Rage. Pure, unbridled rage began to form in her gut as she watched this man taking her young once more, watched him as he kept that stupid fucking smirk on his face. She hated him so much. She was so sick of him getting away with this!

Tuck just kept gathering up the puppies.

_DON’T TOUCH THEM, YOU BASTARD!_

“There were are. Almost done.”

He laughed again and looked at the pup Coco had come for. He paused and looked right at Biscuit.

“I know you’ve gone and gotten urself attached to dis one.”

He snorted and began reaching for the pup who was now frowning in his sleep.

_Sing softly…_

“You won’t be escapin’ with another this time, though, Ms…”

_...bring him to the lake!_

He wrapped his filthy hand around the darling creature.

“NO! I WON’T LET YOU TAKE HIM!”

She snapped. Fire simmered in her eyes, and Tuck only just barely had time to flinch from her outburst before she had lunged forward and ensnared his throat with her teeth, snarling like a wild animal as she did so.

“AH! WHAT THE…!?”

He dropped the pup onto the ground and reached up to grab at Biscuit, trying desperately to pry her jaws open, but Biscuit just tightened the grip she had on him. The puppy was jostled awake from landing on the ground and began to cry. She looked over at the poor thing, and tears came to her eyes as she saw how upset he was.

_I won’t let you have him. I won’t let you have him!_

“FUCK! LET ME GO, YA CUNT!”

_NO!_

She squeezed harder, and the man began to flail around helplessly on the ground, crying out in agony as he fought his attacker in vain. His sickening cries stood in stark contrast to the ones from her son, and the sounds were like the sweetest music she'd ever heard, even more intoxicating than the organ melodies she used to adore so much… She wouldn’t let him go.

Not this time.

He wouldn’t walk away this time.

Tuck had tormented her and others for far too long. It ended tonight. He would finally be forced to face his maker soon, and divine wrath would be far worse than anything she could ever do.

...Though, she could most certainly think of some truly horrible things that this man could endure, things she would gladly orchestrate if she had the power to do so.

She wanted him to suffer as he died.

Her teeth tore deeper into his throat.

He screamed, pathetic, scared. He knew the end was near, and it warmed her heart to know that.

Tuck managed to wheeze out a couple of words as he reached out towards his boss.

“Save...me…”

A chuckle rose up from her belly as she squeezed even harder, causing blood to gush from the gash she had created.

Tuck kept reaching out towards the man he had dedicated his life to.

“I...can’t...breathe…”

But the priest just watched on, no panic in his eyes as he watched his right hand man succumb to Biscuit’s attacks. There was something peculiar in his eyes, though. Whatever it was, Biscuit was at a loss to tell.

Intrigue?

Curiosity?

It looked like he might have been smiling slightly, but it was really hard to tell in the dark.

Biscuit didn’t particularly care what was going through the priest’s head, though. As long as he didn’t interfere with what needed to be done, he was free to stand there and watch the show. After all, he had been the primary performer in town for so long now. It was high time someone put on a performance for him. So, let him watch on. This was the price Tuck would pay for all his atrocities, and a part of her was hoping that Quagmire would realize that one day he might suffer the same fate.

Her Lord would punish him for his crimes one day, even if it meant it had to be done in the next life.

The same sentiments applied to that mutt, Coco, who was also looking on, completely unphased by the grizzly sight before him. She starred them both down, as she kept grinding her teeth against Tuck’s fragile flesh, bits of his exposed bone. She wanted them to get the message, wanted them to watch as she performed the Lord's true work and squeezed the life right out of this evil, corrupt demon.

She was better than them. It didn't matter what they put her through in this life. She understood that, now. She had earned her place in The Kingdom, and these men had earned theirs in The Lake of Fire.

No matter what, she would win in the end, and they would see that...one day.

For now, though, Coco just shrugged and began walking forward with a smirk.

_What are you doing? Stop!_

She almost let Tuck go so that she could ward off the approaching monster, but she stopped herself. Her prey was still fighting. It was a weak effort, but she couldn’t risk letting Tuck go again, not now. It was almost over. She’d let him go once before, and he’d just come back worse than ever. She couldn’t make that same mistake again!

Coco walked towards the crying pup slowly, paws extended towards Biscuit in defense.

“Easy there, girl. None of this is necessary. If you want what’s best for him, you’ll let me take him.”

He leaned over to grab the pup, and Biscuit growled at the action, lunging forward with Tuck still firmly in her mouth. The dying man groaned and reached up to wrap a hand around her snout, but there was no power in his grasp.

“You gotta...let me...go...if you want...to save ‘em…”

_I can’t, though! I can’t let you get away again!_

Coco didn’t seem intimidated in the slightest as he took the pup in his paws and stood up. They locked eyes, and he chuckled at her as he began walking away with the crying boy. The tears that she had shed began to stream down her face as she realized there really was nothing she could do. One way or another, they were going to take her son, even if she let Tuck go. So...she had to hold on. At least Tuck’s death would be a small victory…

Still…

_Sing softly, sing him to the lake._

“Don’t worry. He’s going to a good home.”

_Sing softly, bring him to the lake._

Coco turned to leave, and he was soon followed by Quagmire who made sure to retrieve the carrier before following after the dog, not even sparing the crying female labrador a passing glance as he casually strolled back into the darkness. All Biscuit could do was watch their silhouettes fade from her view as she continued digging her teeth into her victim.

_Sing softly…_

Tuck’s flailing finally stopped.

_...sing him to the lake._

She continued to stare off into the darkness, fully aware that she had just watched one of her most precious children vanish from her life forever. The tears continued to fall.

_Sing softly…_

Tuck finally went completely limp in her grasp.

_...bring him to the lake…_

Biscuit finally shut her eyes, frustration and anger coursing through her as she bit down as hard as she could. She heard a snap as Tuck’s neck shattered between her jaws, and then, she collapsed to the ground. The grieving mother howled out in emotional agony, teeth still firmly grasping her victim, completely unable and unwilling to release the corpse of her tormentor as she cried herself back to sleep.

...And it would be the last time she ever did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics for The Pimp and the Priest:
> 
> Take me to the river.
> 
> The pimp and the priest pounce on quickened cats' feet for the freshest young blood; innocence for the feast.  
> The book will then brew what the sinful commit; while the pimp and the priest prey quietly where the precious sinners sit.
> 
> Confess, oh confess, in the chapel, or brothel, where we suffocate stress.  
> We’ve got the time if you’ve got the scratch.  
> Conquer your sins while she screams on her back.
> 
> Faster, save me!  
> While the sins remain hostage.  
> Harder, I can’t breathe.
> 
> Now the priest and the pimp are already equipped with an enigmatic frontage posts: 'We welcome walk-ins'.  
> So we corner our pace and make quick for the door, to be pardoned and passed from the bed to the floor.
> 
> Confess, oh confess, in the chapel, or brothel, where we suffocate stress.  
> We’ve got the time if you’ve got the scratch.  
> Conquer your sins while she screams on her back.
> 
> Take me to the river.
> 
> Faster, save me!  
> While the sins remain hostage.  
> Harder, I can’t breathe.
> 
> Sing softly, sing me to the lake. Sing softly, bring me to the lake.


	7. His Hands Matched His Tongue

There was a lot to think about.

There always was.

His thoughts were all he had.

Brian’s eyes opened to the sun bearing down heavily on him. It was hot. After so much time trapped by the cold, the days were finally starting to warm up again. The tree that had been overlooking him during this entire ordeal had finally begun to sprout its leaves again. Spring had finally arrived, and he wished he could be happy about that. He’d been waiting for the warmer weather for so long, but it was hard to care when he was still trapped down here.

Hot.

So hot.

It was almost worse now. The heat from the sun had already evaporated all the water, so he hadn’t had anything to drink in a good while. His mouth was dry, and his belly was still rumbling. It was absolute torture. He just wanted it all to end. His back was hurting, to top it all off, so he moved to try and sit up. The exertion of energy was just too much, though. It wasn’t worth it. The pup groaned, resigning himself to continue lying in his uncomfortable position as he looked at his left leg, the one that was busted and still tucked under his right. A stab of pain occasionally shot from it, but he had long gotten used to it. In a way, he welcomed it.

What had even been the point in waking up? It wasn’t like there was anything he could do. With a shake of his head, the pup shut his eyes again, figuring it was best to just sleep through his misery. At least he could pass on from this life peacefully. It was a morbid thought, but those were all he had anymore.

What hope was there?

_None..._

This is what he assumed as he lay down in that pit.

He was wrong, though.

Hope was on the way.

Brian may have been ready for his story to end, but as has been mentioned already, the tale of this dear hound has yet to even begin. And that statement has remained true.

Until now…

Just a little ways off in the distance, a savior was approaching. It was another dog like Brian, a white-furred adult canine, full of regrets and weary from life. He was wearing a dirty white button-up and black pants, an odd sight, out of place and seemingly lost as he walked alongside the river. This dog was far from lost, though. He knew exactly where he was going. There was a very clear destination in mind, his pace quick as he rushed to see someone he had longed to see for a very long time.

If he could just see her again...everything would be alright.

He just needed to experience this one comfort…

So, he walked on, his mind completely focused on this single goal.

But, as he was walking along, he couldn’t help but to stop for a moment to take in the sight of the great bur oak tree that stood guard over the land, and then, his gaze landed on the big hole in the ground that sat at the base of that tree. It was at that point that something clicked in his mind, and he rushed over to a have look down in that hole.

He saw Brian and gasped at the sight of the young thing stuck down in the pit. For a moment, he just kept staring in disbelief before finally calling down to the young canine.

“Hey! ...Kid, are you alright!?”

At first, Brian was sure he was hearing things. He had dreamt of hearing someone calling out to him too many times already. He wouldn’t be fooled again.

“Oh, god… Come on, B...Boy! Wake up! We need to get you out of there!”

Something was different this time, though. This voice was clearer than the others, and it wasn’t repeating the exact words he had tricked himself into hearing before. The young pup reluctantly opened his eyes, the sun hitting them harshly and causing him to squint as he tried to focus his vision to see if there really was somebody up there. It was all a blur, at first, but then, he saw a silhouette standing there in front of the tree. It was another dog, a dog he had never seen before.

A dog like him.

He gasped and forced himself to sit up, fighting through the pain and fatigue as he tried to call back up to the one individual who had managed to find him after all of this time. Nothing but a quiet croak came out. His throat was too dry, and he hadn’t actually spoken in days. He had a passing thought that his voice might be gone forever.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re alright! Just… Just hang on. Ok? I’m going to get you out of there!”

The dog vanished from his sight, and Brian’s heart began to beat faster as a sudden panic hit him. What if he never came back? He didn’t really have any reason to assume that would happen, that this mysterious canine would just abandon him. It certainly didn’t sound like he was going to… But, the young pup was also afraid of letting himself hope again.

He’d been let down before…

His fears were soon put to rest when that silhouette reappeared.

“Here.”

A rope was tossed down.

“Tie that around your waist.”

Brian didn’t waste a second. He quickly secured the rope around his body, making sure the knot there was tight before tugging on it, his only current method of indicating that he was ready to be hoisted up. The other dog started pulling him up and out of the hole. Brian looked over at his knife still lying on the ground and made a quick grab for it, placing it securely in his holster before he quickly began ascending out of that accursed hole. He rose up and up, the sunshine of the open world growing brighter and brighter as the tree seemed to grow before him, that silhouette of the dog standing there in front of it.

Strong.

Secure.

He smiled.

Before long he was at the top. His mysterious savior took his paw and pulled him up and out of the pit, back onto the green grass of the solid earth. He collapsed right there, reveling in the feeling of the grass on his fur, a feeling he had been so sure he’d never experience again. Tears of happiness formed in his eyes.

He was out.

He was safe!

The other dog was soon kneeling down beside him. Brian took a moment to look him over. He could finally embrace the excitement of seeing another being so similar to him. That in and of itself was reassuring, just knowing that there were actually other dogs out there that he could relate to. This dog seemed a lot older than him. He was definitely an adult. He was taller than him, and he wore clothes like he did.

“Jeez. You took quite the tumble, huh, kid?”

The adult canine reached out and took Brian's injured paw into his.

And that’s when Brian noticed something very odd about this other dog.

His paws...they were so...red. Was that blood? Why would his hands be covered in…?

The relief Brian had felt began to subside as a sense of uncertainty took over. Who even was this dog? Where had he come from? He had saved him, sure, but his mother had told him not to trust others from beyond the tree. What real reason did he have to trust him? Then again…

His mother had told him a lot of things, things he was now starting to seriously question after his experience. Who was he supposed to trust, now? He was wary of this adult dog, but there seemed to be genuine concern in his eyes as he inspected his injuries.

“Well, the good news is that this cut has already practically healed. You must have hit your head hard. I can see the dry blood, but the cut that must have been there is no longer visible. As for your leg…”

He went to move the young pup’s left leg, and Brian immediately winced. The adult dog stopped and placed a paw under his chin as if he was thinking.

“Yeah. You aren’t ready to walk on that.”

So many questions were rushing through Brian’s brain. He tried to ask one of them, but his voice was so hoarse as to be incomprehensible. The other dog immediately began shaking his head to silence him.

“Don’t strain yourself, kid.”

He stood up, and Brian watched in involuntary silence as he went over to the tree, climbed up, and broke off one of the larger branches before hopping back down to him. He cleaned off the excess leaves and twigs attached to the branch and then held it out towards Brian.

“Here.”

The dog placed the branch in the pit of Brian’s right arm.

“Hold onto that.”

The young canine took a hold of the branch, and then, the adult dog walked behind him and began to lift him onto his feet.

“Keep your weight off of that leg.”

Soon, Brian was standing up for the first time in days. His balance was wobbly, but he was able to stay upright with the aid of the branch that was now being used as a makeshift crutch as he balanced on his one good leg. The older dog let him go, and he heard him breathe a sigh of relief.

“That should work, for now. Your leg will heal, but it may take some time.”

Brian nodded his head, and tried to thank the other dog. All that came out was a croak, though. He still wasn’t able to speak easily. The older dog took his paw and began to lead him away from the tree.

“Here. Follow me.”

Brian allowed the older canine to lead him across the field, and before long they were by the lake. They walked up to the bank of the water, and the kind stranger helped him kneel down.

“Drink up, kid.”

Brian immediately began to lap at the fresh water like a rabid animal. His thirst growing tenfold at the sight of such a large body of water.

“Hey! Hey! Slow down! You’ll hurt your stomach.”

He felt a paw rubbing his back, and Brian found it oddly soothing as he tried to control himself and drink the water at a more reasonable, civil pace.

“There you go. That’s right. Take your time. I know you’re thirsty.”

Why was this person being so kind to him?

“You keep drinking up. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

Brian didn’t bother to look up. He just stayed there leaning over the water and drinking deeply as he felt the canine’s presence disappear. He remained there for some time, the taste of the water easily being the most delightful thing he had ever experienced on his tongue. After a while, he began to feel satisfied. He sat back up and released a loud belch that echoed across the lake and through the valley.

“Whoa! Sounds like you’ve had enough of that!”

Brian turned around and saw the stranger returning. He was carrying something now, and the pup soon realized it was a freshly killed rabbit.

His mouth began to water.

“Here, kid.”

He tossed the rabbit to Brian, who quickly caught it and didn’t hesitate a moment to begin devouring the meat of the creature. As he ate, the older dog took a seat by him and patiently waited for the young canine to finish the first meal he’d had in what felt like ages.

It didn’t take long.

The pup’s hunger was voracious, so it took him hardly any time at all to consume all there was to consume of the rabbit. The older dog just sat there smiling at him, waiting for him to finish before speaking again.

“How’s that? Feeling better?”

Brian burped again and nodded his head. He felt like he could finally speak again.

“Thank you.”

It really was all he could say for now as he sat there and allowed his food and drink to settle. The other dog gave him a firm pat on the back.

“Don’t mention it. I couldn’t just...leave you down there…”

Brian looked over at his rescuer. Their eyes locked onto each other’s for the first time, and for a moment, the young pup was sure he saw something...familiar in those eyes. He didn’t have time to think about that for too long, though. The adult canine was standing up now. He placed his paw in the water and began to wipe some of the rabbit’s blood from where it had gotten on Brian’s muzzle. The young pup winced, but allowed the contact to continue, figuring it was for the best. He’d have to wash up, eventually, anyway. Once the older dog finished cleaning his face he helped Brian back up to his feet.

“Come on.”

He began leading Brian away from the lake.

“Let’s get you home...kid.”

Brian followed after him, and for a while, the pair walked in silence. Soon, though, the questions from before that the young pup had wanted to ask started to pop into his head again. He still had no idea who this other dog was, and now being able to speak, Brian refused to hold back his inquiries.

“Hey, mister…”

The older dog looked back at him and quirked an eyebrow.

“Yeah? What is it?”

Brian asked his first question.

“So, do you live out here, too? I’ve never seen you around.”

The leading canine redirected his attention forward but did eventually answer after a few seconds.

“I used to live out here… That was a long time ago, though. Feels like...ages…”

The younger of the two tilted his head. It was an odd answer. Had this dog lived in the farmhouse before him and his mom? Was he coming back here to visit?

Just more questions.

His curious eyes fell on those red paws again. He no longer felt the apprehension from earlier. This stranger had proven to him that he meant no harm, as far as he was concerned.

But still…

The pup pointed towards the older dog’s paws.

“What happened to your paws?”

The adult leading the younger came to a stop. His arms extended out, and he looked at his paws. Brian came to a stop beside him, trying to gauge the look on the other canine’s face as he stared at the body parts in question. Eventually, the older canine just sighed and lowered his arms back down to his sides.

“Something...I regret… I regret a lot of things…”

Just another odd...vague answer. The other dog started walking again, and Brian did everything he could to keep pace with him as they walked side-by-side.

“What...did you do?”

The adult canine just shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. You can’t change the past.”

It was obvious that this line of questioning wasn’t going anywhere. Whatever had happened, this mysterious dog most certainly had no interest in telling him about it. That was fine, though. They were approaching the farmhouse, now, and the simple sight of it off in the distance was enough to cause a huge wave of relief to wash over the young pup.

He was going to be ok.

He was home.

...What about this other dog, though? He said he used to live out here, but...where was his home?

“Where do you live?”

To this question, he received no answer. The adult canine simply continued walking, acting as if the young pup hadn’t said a thing. Realizing he wouldn’t be getting a response this time, Brian refocused his attention on the house up ahead. He noticed something that he hadn’t seen at first. There was smoke coming from the chimney, and he could smell it on the air as they got closer and closer to his home. His eyes lit up. Smoke could only mean one thing. Someone had started a fire in the fireplace, and that could only be one person.

_MOM!_

Excitement overtook him as he sped up, pulling ahead of the dog who had been leading the way. How long had she been home!? Why hadn’t she gone out looking for him!? It was getting dark now. The sun was setting, as was clearly indicated by the sky’s purple and red hue, so surely his mom would be concerned to see he wasn’t home yet. Maybe she was just about to head out. Maybe he would see her exiting the house any minute now, calling out to him just like she always did when he accidentally stayed out too late. He tried going faster, but his busted leg would only allow for so much momentum. He just couldn’t wait to see his mom again, though!

He was so eager to get back to her that he almost didn’t even notice that the other dog was no longer following him.

Almost…

He did manage to notice the lack of that now comfortable presence, though, despite his eagerness to press on. So, he looked back and saw the older dog just standing there, staring off into the distance. Brian stopped and turned around to call after him. He didn’t want to leave behind his new...friend.

“Hey, you should come inside! I’m sure my mom won’t mind! She’ll probably be really happy that you brought me home!”

The adult dog looked back at the young pup and smiled. There was something off about that smile, though. Even at his early stage in life, Brian could tell something wasn’t quite right.

It was the same kind of smile he would sometimes see on his mother's face.

There was a sadness behind that smile.

“No, B… No. I...can’t…”

Brian frowned and began to walk back over to his rescuer.

“What? Why not?”

The older’s breath hitched as he diverted his gaze from the younger.

“I just...can’t…”

Before Brian could reply again the adult canine was kneeling down in front of him, addressing him at eye-level.

Those eyes...glassy...wet… This dog was...crying…

“P-Promise me something...kid.”

His speech was shaky as he fought through his tears.

“Promise m-me...that you’ll r-remember...to always g-go home… Ok? C-Can you do that?”

Brian wasn’t sure where this was coming from. He had no idea what this older dog meant by this sudden and odd request. But...something inside him felt sorry for this animal.

This animal like him…with that look of familiarity in the eyes.

He wanted to help him, to reassure him that he’d do as he was told. The young pup nodded his head firmly, looked at the older dog seriously.

“I will. I promise.”

The adult dog’s smile grew, and then, his eyes rose up to look over the pup’s shoulder, out toward the farmhouse. He gulped and spoke in a whisper, more to himself than to Brian it seemed.

“Someday...she’ll be gone...”

Brian’s heart dropped at the words. He knew exactly what this dog was talking about this time. It was something he’d thought about a lot while in that hole. He had basically come to terms with the idea of never seeing his mother again, but now, he was out and ready to run back to her.

But...this dog was right.

Why he was bringing up such a thing, Brian didn’t know, but that didn’t change the fact that he was still right. He’d almost lost his mother once already, and it had been the most horrific experience of his life. But, at least in the hole, he had been ready to move on, to wait for her in whatever life came after death. He was out now, though, and time was still ticking on. His mother wouldn’t be around forever.

Someday...she would be gone…

And the cycle of life would continue as he was left to...what? What did he have out here besides her? Until meeting this other dog, all Brian had known, all he had ever been allowed to know was his mother and this place. There was a whole world out there, though, beyond that damned tree!

It scared him… His mother had told him so much about what was out there, and he’d even read about some of it in his books. The world was a scary place, and he in no way felt ready. He couldn’t imagine ever being ready to lose her, to live in this place by himself with no one, but he was also terrified of what could happen should he ever leave, venture beyond that tree that marked the barrier between his world and everyone else’s.

He wasn’t ready…

The young pup looked to his friend and whimpered as these thoughts built up in his still developing mind.

“What should I do?”

Some tears started to fall down the older dog’s cheeks as he responded.

“Tell her that she is beautiful. And always remember to cherish her and your home here. It’s not much, but it’s yours, b...boy. She brought you here to keep you safe, and though you may not fully understand now, just know that everything she does is done to make your life better. She loves you. Never doubt that. Always love her, and don’t waste a second of the time you have left with her. Not everyone is given such a wonderful gift, and it would be wrong of you to squander it.”

They were heavy words for one so young to hear, but Brian did his best to take on the weight of each and every one. He had no words of his own to answer them with, though. Instead, he simply turned back around and looked at that farmhouse again, his house, his home where his mother was waiting for him.

_...mom…_

A whisper hit his ear, but it was too quiet to make out what was being said. He tore his eyes away from the house to look back at the stranger, but when he looked back there was nobody.

The other dog was gone, and all that lay before him was the great big field he had always known.

The pup’s eyes went wide. There was nowhere that other dog could have run off to…

So where...was he?

It was a mystery that he had no means of finding the answer to, and even he, still being a pup barely over a year old, knew that trying to solve it would be a futile endeavor. So, he simply continued heading for home, the mysterious dog’s words of warning echoing in his head as he walked on.

_Someday she’ll be gone. Someday she’ll be gone. Someday she’ll be gone. Someday she’ll be gone…_

He thought about those words, the weight of them. He’d never get another chance to have a mother. He had to cherish her now.

And he would.

Brian walked up the stairs and onto the porch. He opened the door and was greeted by the sight of his mother resting on their little makeshift bed on the floor. He smiled and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him before calling out to her.

“Mom? You awake?”

The female labrador stirred, eyes opening to look up at her son. A smile came to her face, instantly lighting up the dim room.

“Brian! Where have you be-”

She stopped mid-sentence, and the smile on her face fell as intense concern overtook her features. The canine shot to her feet and rushed over to her son.

“Dear! What happened!? You’re hurt!”

As soon she was close enough, Brian wrapped an arm around his mother and hugged her tightly as he tried to assure her that he was alright. He didn’t want her to worry.

“It’s ok. I just fell. Got my leg pretty good, but it’ll be fine as long as I stay off of it for a while.”

That’s what the stranger had told him. He believed him.

They hugged for a moment longer before Biscuit pulled away and urged her son to go lie down. Brian obeyed and slowly hobbled his way over to their spot on the floor before lying down and setting his crutch off to the side. His mother soon joined him, snuggling in close to her son and draping a front leg over him protectively. The young pup sighed in contentment. How would he ever deal with losing this? He closed his eyes and just enjoyed the comforting presence of his mother, the one thing in this world that could soothe him even during the most distressing moments of his life. She nuzzled his neck and began to sing sweetly to him.

“Sing softly. Sing me to the lake. Sing softly. Bring me to the lake. Sing softly. Sing me to the lake. Sing softly. Bring me to the lake.”

A grin spread across the pup’s lips. What was this song? He had never heard it before. It was...nice, almost like a lullaby but made just for him. Is that what it was? Was his mother writing him a song? A song just for them? He loved this song. He loved her…

He was home.

He was safe.

The past few days were quickly fading into the past, almost like they had never even happened, like some horrible nightmare that he had finally been able to wake up from. There would only be good dreams now, dreams of him and his mother as she stayed with him and sang this song. Everything was right here, with her.

And yet…

_Someday she’ll be gone… Someday she’ll be gone…_

He didn’t want to think about those words anymore, but he just couldn’t shake them, especially now that he was back with this woman that meant so much to him. It scared him.

He was so scared of the thought of losing her.

It was the one fear she couldn’t remedy.

Because she was the very cause of it.

His grin fell slightly as he tried his best to focus on that song.

“Sing softly.”

_Bring me to the lake._

“Sing softly.”

_Bring me to the lake._

This song was for him, and that’s something that could never be taken away.

He opened his eyes and turned his head so that he could see his mom. She was smiling down at him. He smiled back and leaned up to kiss her cheek.

“You’re so beautiful, mom.”

One of her eyebrows rose at the sudden compliment, and a chuckle comparable to sweet music passed from her lips.

“Where did that come from, sweetie?”

Brian simply shrugged before responding.

“I just love you a whole lot.”

He moved to snuggle in closer as he rolled over and placed his arm over her so that they were embracing each other. His face ended up right in front of her necklace, something he had always known she’d had, and yet, he had never really stopped to consider just why it was there. Now that he was processing this idea that she wouldn’t be around forever, though, he wanted to know all he could. He reached up and grabbed the cross that hung from the end and began to inspect it.

“Where did you get this?”

He didn’t get his answer immediately. No, there was a lengthy pause before his mother spoke up again, and when she did, it was in a very hushed tone quite unlike the one she had been using only moments previously.

Cold.

Distant…

“Your...father...gave it to me…”

_My father…?_

The pup had wondered to himself about where his father was, who he might be, but he couldn’t recall a single instance of his mother bringing him up. This opened the door for a whole new set of questions, but...something had shifted in the room. There was a tension between them now, and it made him worry what might happen if he started asking about this mysterious parent he’d never known anything about. He wanted to ask her about it.

But he also didn’t want to hurt her.

Another time, maybe…

Besides, he could feel himself getting sleepy as he lay there wrapped in the warmth of his mother’s body. He knew he wouldn’t be awake for much longer, and he wanted to be completely present for that conversation should there ever be an appropriate time to have it.

There was time.

They had time.

For now, he decided to inquire about her necklace some more, still clutching that cross in his paw as he began to drift off.

“Why...does...it look...like that…?”

He heard her sigh and watched through slowly blinking eyes as she looked down at the object around her neck.

“It reminds me who I am, baby…”

The pup nodded slowly, not fully understanding but now seeing that this piece of jewelry must hold some strong personal significance to his mom. He never would have guessed.

There was so much he didn’t know, but he could hardly worry about that much as sleep began to take a tight hold of him. The struggle to keep his eyes open began to beat out his urge to stay awake as he spoke one more time while pointing at a pendent of a lady that connected the cross to the rest of the necklace.

“A...woman…?”

His eyes fell shut and soft snoring began to fill the room as Biscuit offered up an answer she knew he could no longer hear.

“No, son… A...mother…”

The house was now completely still aside from the sound of deep sleep coming from the young pup, and for a good long while, the mother just laid there watching this perfect vision of innocence and peace. The smile returned to her face as she leaned down and licked the side of her son’s face affectionately.

“As long as we have each other, there’s nothing in this world that can destroy us, baby. Our place in paradise is reserved, but I will do everything I can to make this your paradise on Earth.”

She began to sing.

“Sing softly. Sing me to-”

Her song was cut off by a sudden and intense coughing fit. It rattled her body despite her best attempts to remain still so as not to wake her sleeping son. She even covered her snout in the crook of her front leg, a desperate attempt to silence them. In time, though, her coughing grew less violent, and then, not too long after that, it had passed entirely. She took a few moments to catch her breath, and then, she began to sing again.

“Sing softly. Sing me to the lake. Sing softly. Sing me to the lake. Sing softly. Sing me to the lake. Sing softly. Bring me to the lake. Sing softly. Sing me to the lake. Sing softly. Sing me to the lake. Sing softly. Sing me to the lake. Sing softly. Bring me to the lake.”

And she continued repeating that lullaby until sleep had taken her, as well.

All the while, Brian was deep in sleep, deep in a dream.

In his dream, Biscuit was reading The Bible to him. It was a passage he had heard a few times, but the young pup listened to it attentively, nonetheless. Once she was done, she shut the book, slid it aside, and the two of them walked outside together. The weather was warm, perfect. Spring was in full bloom, the bustle of nature alive and well just as he remembered it used to be before the Winter had hit and marred this wonderful land. This was how it should always be.

His mother went to lie down on the porch, and he ran down the steps before sprinting out across the field. He ran all the way out to the lake and immediately dived in. He had waited all Winter to swim in those waters again. Despite the warm weather, the water had a chill to it. It shocked him, caused him to flinch and shiver as he stood in the shallow area where the land just started to slope downwards into the depths. His body acclimated quickly, and then, he began to wade out further into the water, the land leaving his feet as he was left to keep himself afloat. He was a fully capable swimmer. His mother had taught him how to handle himself out in the water as soon as he had been able to enter the lake safely. She had taught him well, and now, he didn’t need her to watch over him as he relaxed in the calm waters. He began to swim further out, straight ahead towards the river that branched out from the end of the lake. How far did that river go? Where would it lead? His mother had always told him to avoid swimming out into the river, but what was the harm so long as he remained in the water. He was safe in the water. There was nothing in there that could harm him. He was fully capable.

And she wasn’t here…

He stopped once he reached the river’s edge and remained there treading water as he considered swimming out further than he ever had. No matter how far he went, the river would always be able to lead him back home. So, what was the harm? Why shouldn’t he be allowed to explore more of the world outside so long as he could always come back? How bad could it be?

But, no…

No matter how strong the urge was to continue swimming, to venture out into the world beyond his home, he found himself frozen in place, and no amount of trying to convince himself to take that step was enough to get him to leave the safety of the lake.

He had to respect the boundaries his mother had set in place.

Never follow the river.

Never go past the tree.

So, he turned around and spent the rest of his day simply swimming in the same waters that he always did, the same familiar waters.

Safe.

Boring.

He didn’t bother getting out until he saw the sun starting to set. As the day was coming to an end, he swam back to the shore and made his way back onto the grassy land. He shook himself as dry as he could and then laid down in a spot where the sun was still beating down heavily so he could dry his clothes. Perhaps he should have taken them off before he had gone and jumped into the water. It was too late now, though. He shrugged and closed his eyes as he laid out in the sun until he could no longer feel it. By that point, his clothes were fairly dry, so he stood up and began to make his way back home.

He walked slowly, admiring the gorgeous landscape of his home as he made the trek back to the farmhouse. As he got closer, he expected to see his mom still lying out on the porch like she normally did. She was nowhere to be seen, though. It was strange, but he just figured she’d gone inside. Maybe she was getting them dinner ready early. His stomach rumbled at the thought, so he sped up, rushing towards the house before barging inside.

“Mom! I’m home!”

He heard no response, and his mother was nowhere in sight. He frowned and began to look for her.

“Mom?”

He checked the living room. Nothing. He checked the kitchen. She wasn’t there, either. It didn’t take him long to check every room on the first floor, so he proceeded on to the second. 

Bedrooms?

No.

Bathrooms?

Nowhere in sight.

His heart began to beat loudly in his chest. She wasn’t here. Why wasn’t she here?

The young pup rushed down the stairs and back outside. He shouted out into the night.

“Mom! Where are you!?”

His voice echoed all across the valley, but his home offered up no response to the confused and scared child who could no longer find his mother.

She was gone, and all that lay before him was the great big field he had always known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics for His Hands Matched His Tongue:
> 
> A long walk home, riddled with regret.  
> Uncommonly comfortable, but still I believe  
> That in time I think I’ll see just what’s been weighing down on me.  
> An unearthly void collapsed, exposing what was trapped to release this serendipitous design.
> 
> The smell of smoke, the evening sky was bruised.  
> Belated conversations saturate anticipation for the answers that simply won’t come.
> 
> But not I, I won’t ask.  
> Forget my place amongst the grass.  
> The leaves and the trees remember me,  
> And in my naivete it might be seen.  
> The pail has leaks and even if you put all your water into it, you end up with nothing left to drink.  
> The well has gone dry and I with it.
> 
> Oh, someday she’ll be gone.
> 
> We’ll still have a song to sing.
> 
> Sing softly, sing me to the lake. Sing softly, bring me to the lake.  
> 


	8. The River North

The stage is finally fully set, and time marches on towards our opening number just as a river’s current never ceases.

We have now reached the end of this first stage in Brian’s life and the final one in his mother’s. The security and tranquility of the lake and the river masks many secrets about this life that Biscuit’s dear hound will soon have the misfortune of uncovering. His blessed little sanctuary away from the troubles of the world will not be able to protect him for much longer, but for a while, he will remain safe. Though his fate cannot be circumvented, he still has time to enjoy the safety of his home by the lake before he is cast out into the world beyond all he has ever known. So, let us be grateful for that small blessing. There will be very few like it in the future for this cursed life.

Biscuit, however, will continue to play her role down in the corridors that bridge the church and The Dime. While her son frolics and continues to grow and learn, she has resolved to spend her final days awaiting her ultimate reward in the life hereafter. The days she gets to spend with her son are the only bright spots in a life shrouded in darkness, and it no longer matters to her what suffering she is forced to endure. She can feel the life draining from her, but she knows that her place in paradise is good and reserved when everything is said and done. That is enough for her. You can think of this what you will, but this thought has finally brought her peace in the storm. And some would argue that we all should be allowed to find peace in whatever way it manifests, regardless of the truth behind it or not. So, let us acknowledge and appreciate this important victory, though it may seem small and insignificant to some.

Because, in this humble narrator’s opinion, Biscuit deserves at least some closure in her story.

A moment of closure before Brian’s life is at last allowed to open up for better and for worse.

Each trip to Quahog brings her ever closer to the merciful last, and all the while, Brian is completely unaware of the other life his mother leads. The questions that do plague the young one’s mind go unasked as the days fly by. He simply hopes that his mother will explain everything when the time is right, but that time will never come. His life will continue on in total ignorance, and Biscuit will keep her secrets from him until the bitter end. She always knew she would, and though she always had good intentions in her heart, this will end up serving as her greatest sin.

...But maybe she would have handled things differently if she only knew the life she was dooming her son to...

She most assuredly would have...

She loved Brian more than anything.

But that’s just how this story goes.

This is what was and will be, and these actions will have their eventual consequences.

And the time for those consequences will be explored in another story very soon.

So really, for now, there’s not much else to tell. All the players are now set in their roles for the stories to come, and all the while, Brian spends his days hunting and reading just like he always did. Soon, he will begin to take up a new hobby. Using a pen and whatever parchment he can find in the farmhouse, he will begin to craft his own stories in the hopes that others may one day read and appreciate them just as he has read and appreciated the stories of others before him. He will become a young and hopeful little writer but not before jotting down the lyrics to the lullaby his mother now sings to him every night she is around.

**Sing softly. Sing me to the lake.**

**Sing softly. Bring me to the lake.**

They are the first words to pour from his paw, though he knows the song by heart now. The tune is simple, but its meaning is transcendent for the young pup. His curiosity about the world outside grows more and more by the day, but at the end of everything, the lake is his home. It always will be, and no matter what troubles come his way, no matter what this life throws at him, he will always have the land by the lake.

He will always be able to come home.

It’s the promise of his mother. That is what this song means for him, and that is why he keeps these words close to his heart at all times as he goes about his days living by the lake, the river, and the tree, all the while wondering about what lies beyond his home.

But we already know, don’t we.

As Brian’s mind races with the possibilities of a life away from the boundaries his mother has set in place, the very world he wonders about carries on without the promise of such a refuge. The citizens of Quahog continue to live in subjugation under the man they cherish most of all, some more aware than others, but all of them unable to do anything about it even if they want to. Their secrets are their own individual prisons, and the pimp and the priest is the bearer of those keys.

But even he has no control over the ultimate prison, the one we are all held captive by. No keys exist for those chains, and Quagmire also has a very important role to play in this complicated tale he has unknowingly set into motion with his deeds.

Because not even the pimp and the priest, the manipulator of lives, can escape fate. Though, what that fate will be still remains to be seen.

It's coming, though.

And Brian shall be the one to bring it.

But, in the meantime, the days turn to weeks, and the weeks turn to months.

The river of time rushes on as the tides of change continue to churn.

All the pieces are slowly coming into place:

A mother who has given up on any life she may have been able to live apart from what she does for her son.

A son who cherishes his home by a lake but whose curiosity is causing his heart to yearn more and more to see what he might find should he follow the river North.

And a city bound to a wolf in sheep’s clothing, full of people in desperate need of a true savior.

The causes are about to reap their effects.

But, for now, we will leave it all to be.

We will leave Biscuit to enjoy what little time she has left with her son.

We will leave Brian to write the stories that have been inspired by others.

And we will leave Quagmire to continue seducing anyone and everyone who he can use in his never-ending pursuit for wealth and power.

The Father.

The Son.

And The Holy Spirit.

Three separate stories bound to each other: one nearing its end, one just beginning, and one that shall continue for quite a while longer before things are all said and done. New chapters are preparing to be written as the final periods come down on the current passages.

Because time marches on.

Life by the lake was peaceful growing up indeed, but it cannot last forever. It never can.

If we were to delve into the history of that place, there would be many stories to tell, many secrets to uncover, and they would all reveal that same unfortunate conclusion. Because we all have to grow up and face life on its own terms, eventually. There is no such thing as a place that serves as a perfect sanctuary from heartbreak and pain, and as this young child grows up innocent and ignorant while slowly passing into adulthood, he too will have to face this harsh reality before too much longer.

The river north is calling out to him. Its seductive song grows ever louder by the day, and nothing will keep Brian from succumbing to that call once there is no longer anyone at home to keep him tethered to his paradise.

Nothing.

...Not even himself.

That's just how the story goes.

And we will continue this story some other time, but for now, enjoy this brief reprieve as we enter the intermission.

But as for our players in this complicated little play…

...places, People…

...the stage…

...is…

...set.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

..the…

* * *

...flame

* * *

is

* * *

Gone

* * *

The

* * *

Fire

* * *

Remains

* * *

THE

* * *

FLAME

* * *

IS

* * *

GONE

* * *

THE

* * *

FIRE

* * *

REMAINS

* * *

**THE**

* * *

**FLAME**

* * *

**IS**

* * *

**GONE**

* * *

**THE**

* * *

**FIRE**

* * *

**REMAINS**

* * *

**_THE_ **

* * *

**_FLAME_ **

* * *

**_IS_ **

* * *

**_GONE_ **

* * *

**_THE_ **

* * *

**_FIRE_ **

* * *

**_REMAINS_ **

* * *

**_THE_ **

* * *

**_FLAME_ **

* * *

**_IS_ **

* * *

**_GONE_ **

* * *

**_THE_ **

* * *

**_FIRE_ **

* * *

**_REMAINS_ **

* * *

_**THE** _

* * *

_**FLAME** _

* * *

_**IS** _

* * *

_**GONE** _

* * *

_**THE** _

* * *

_**FIRE** _

* * *

_**REMAINS** _

* * *

**THE**

* * *

**FLAME**

* * *

**IS**

* * *

**GONE**

* * *

**THE**

* * *

**FIRE**

* * *

**REMAINS**

* * *

THE

* * *

FLAME

* * *

IS

* * *

GONE

* * *

THE

* * *

FIRE

* * *

REMAINS

* * *

The

* * *

Flame

* * *

Is

* * *

Gone

* * *

the

* * *

fire...

* * *

...remains...

* * *

... **_the flame_ **...

* * *

The driver stopped outside of the concert hall and reached towards the backseat to hand his ward her bright red scarf.

“Here you are, Ms. Leading. Enjoy the show.”

A tiny hand reached out and took the article of clothing before wrapping it securely around a neck that bore a necklace with a cross and a pendent of a woman. It got chilly during these Rhode Island winters, after all. One had to do what was necessary to stay warm.

“Thank you, Clint.”

The driver got out and opened the door for his passenger. The individual, donned in a beautiful black dress and heels, stepped out of the car and looked up at their chauffeur with a chilly smile that paired perfectly with the mildly cold weather.

“Be sure to be back here in two hours. I really don’t feel like staying out any longer than I have to tonight.”

The driver nodded firmly and then got back in the car without another word before driving off.

Ms. Leading then began making her way into the building. She was shorter than everyone else, but this difference in height in no way hindered her ability to make an impression wherever she went. As she strutted up the steps, heads immediately turned to admire her deceptively feminine form as she gracefully walked against the sharp Winter air. Her brunette hair blew out with the breeze, but it never obstructed her vision. Her porcelain skin reflected the lights of the city after dark, contrasting with the darkness that enshrouded her in both a literal and figurative sense. To those around her, she was the very vision of fantasy, a Greek goddess among mortals that only those who were willing to pay a very hefty price could claim.

To them she was desire.

She was danger.

She was an enigma.

They did not know her.

Nobody did.

Except for one.

And he was waiting for her at the door, the local priest dressed in his absolute finest for a night at the symphony. He held the door open for her, and the pair of them walked inside together, the priest speaking to her in hushed urgency.

“You’re cutting it a little close. The show is about to start, and your date is already waiting for you up in the mezzanine.”

Ms. Leading seemed unphased by this news as the priest led her through what little crowd was still out in the lobby of the venue. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

“It takes time to pull off this look Glen, and I didn’t exactly have a lot of it since you insisted that I assist another client before coming here. He wanted one thing. This guy wants another. So, yes, I’m running a little later than you’d probably like, but really that’s your own fault. You can’t always have it all, you know. You should really pick your battles more wisely.”

Quagmire huffed, but made no attempt to rebut the point as the pair began walking up some stairs.

“Fair enough. Let’s just focus on this battle, for now.”

They reached their floor and proceeded down a hallway as Quagmire continued speaking. The chatter of a crowd could now be heard coming from the main concert area.

“I need this guy in my pocket. He’s just looking for a pretty girl to hang on his arm for the night, but if you really wow him, he’ll eventually want more, and then…”

The man chuckled as he came to a stop by another door. It was the door leading out into the mezzanine, and he shot a smirk down towards the one by his side as he opened it and gestured for her to enter.

“I know you won’t disappoint me.”

Ms. Leading didn’t even offer him a passing glance, didn’t even turn around when she heard him saying one last thing before closing the door.

“You never do.”

She had a job to do. There was nothing left to say.

The concert hall was packed. The chatter was even louder now, a disorienting cacophony of gibberish as she searched the aisles for her latest client. She managed to find him just in time for the lights to go down. He waved to her, and she offered up a small smile in his direction as she slid through the appropriate aisle. She took her open seat beside him and looked out towards the stage.

This wouldn’t be all bad. She didn’t always enjoy the company she was forced to keep, but these nights out were always a wonderful change of pace from her day to day. It was always nice to get to experience a little culture, and one day she would be free to explore all the culture this world had to offer. The smile on her face grew at this thought as the curtains began to part. The concert hall erupted into applause, including her own as the orchestra came into view. A conductor took his place at the front as the musicians finished up some final tuning on their respective instruments.

Ms. Leading was entirely focused on the stage.

She almost entirely forgot about the man next to her until he finally spoke up.

“You look absolutely breathtaking, my dear.”

It was a line she had heard many times before, rote and so very trite...but also endlessly amusing to her.

These men...the ones she had to pretend for...they had no way of knowing who they were really with...who they were really speaking those lines to. Their ignorance was enough to make her want to laugh, but she never did. She knew her role in this story, and she played it to perfection.

Ms. Leading looked over at her date for the night and placed her small hand over his.

“If you’re out of breath already, I have to wonder if I might be too much for you.”

A gentle jab but the implications were clear. The man flushed a bit before laughing and turning back to watch the stage.

“I hear that this is one hell of a show. I’m quite excited, I won’t lie.”

His date simply nodded and settled into her seat, ears primed and focused on the sounds of the orchestra.

The music began to swell as a few opening scales were played.

“I guess we’ll both see if it’s worth the hype or not, then, won’t we.”

The man removed his hand from hers and moved to drape his arm over her shoulders.

“That we will, my dear.”

The orchestra began to play, and the audience was immediately captivated by the sound of the music, beautiful yet heart-wrenching, the soundtrack for a story that each individual person was free to write in their own heads.

It was magnificent.

It was indeed a show to remember.

...On with the show…

* * *

**End Act I** ****

* * *

**Listen to the Whole Story:**

* * *

**To Be Continued In:**

**Act II: The Meaning of, and All Things Regarding Ms. Leading**

**The second part in the story of a life cursed.**

**After tragedy strikes, Brian, now a young adult, finally sets out to discover what lies beyond his home, and just when it seems that he will find nothing but despair out in the world, he meets someone who will change the course of his life forever. The fuse has been lit, and the bombs are about to go off.**

**“We fall beneath the sea of dreams and fail to breathe until we awaken again.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Instrumental)


End file.
